EVIL NEVER SLEEPS
by Mailyn
Summary: Jin Kazama is not dead. He disappeared. In their quest to find him, Xiaoyu and Hwoarang are dragged around by riddles from beyond the grave and into a vast paper chase that will lead them further than they expected... [ Post TEKKEN 6 ]
1. PROLOGUE

_**A/N** : This story takes place two months after **CURSED BLOOD** and will be published_ _twice a month, every two weeks._

 _A big thank you to my lovely friend **TheoreticallyEva** for proofreading my work and making it better! Go check her stories, she's a gifted writer!_

 _ **Disclaimer**_ _:_ _I owe nothing_

 _._

 _._

* * *

 **PROLOGUE**

* * *

.

.

Hwoarang narrowly dodged a tazer that was aimed at his stomach and made his opponent bite the dust with a swift kick.

He turned and saw that Lars was about to get hit from behind by a soldier of the Tekken Forces. Quick as a flash, he grabbed the tazer and sent a shock to the man, who collapsed with a scream. Lars turned around, noticed the man on the ground, and glanced at his companion.

"Thanks," he panted, throwing his opponent against a wall.

"You're welcome!" Hwoarang said as he pounced on a soldier. "Just out of curiosity, didn't you say that this place was safe?"

"I guess my source was not as reliable as I thought!"

"Just my luck!" Hwoarang swore as he stooped to avoid a right hook that could have hurt him terribly.

"Stop complaining! You need to get back in shape anyway!"

"You son of a..."

BOOM!

One wall of the shed in which they were fighting exploded in a deafening roar. They avoided getting smashed thanks to Lars's reflexes as he pulled them into a corner. A huge Jack rushed into the breach he had just created and charged them with breathtaking speed. The two men rolled out of the way, and the robot crashed into a wall, making the ground shake. Ceiling swathes began to collapse, and Lars quickly put Hwoarang on his feet.

"Quick! We must get out before the building crumbles!"

But the Jack had other plans...

He grabbed Lars by the leg and violently threw him against a wall, knocking him out. Hwoarang grabbed a gun that was lying on the ground and fired on the robot with a long, Rambo-like yell. When he ran out of bullets, the Jack straightened up, unharmed, and marched on him menacingly.

"Oh-oh..." said the Korean, stooping in time to avoid the massive fist that was aimed at his face.

He swiftly bypassed the robot and sent him a burst of kicks in the back, pinning him to the ground. A huge concrete block then fell from the ceiling and crushed the robot in a cloud of dust.

"Perfect timing!" exclaimed Hwoarang as he rushed to Lars, who had a bloody nose and was still groggy.

He lifted him on his legs, put his arm around his shoulders and struggled to pull him toward the exit.

"Dammit, you need to lay off the McDonald's, bro! You weigh as much as the fatso Ganryu!"

The Jack appeared before them without warning and raised his two huge fists to crush them. The sound of a blade sliced through the air, and the robot was cut in pieces that fell on the ground, creating a thick cloud of dust. When it cleared, Raven stood before them, putting his daggers back into their sheaths.

"Give him to me," said the latter, pointing at Lars.

Hwoarang obeyed without hesitation. Raven took the unconscious man on his back and ran out of the building, which collapsed a few seconds later. The ninja lay Lars on the back seat of his car and climbed behind the wheel, while Hwoarang jumped next to him.

"What the hell was this ambush?" he yelled. "And why the hell are you here?!"

"I set up the meeting," the ninja said in his deep and impassive voice, taking the direction of the city.

"In a hangar full of soldiers from the freaking Tekken Forces?!"

"I did not plan on anyone cracking the security codes of our messages and ambushing us..."

Hwoarang sighed heavily and turned to see how Lars was. He was slowing regaining consciousness but still looked banged up.

"There's a first aid kit in the glove box," the ninja said.

His companion took the hint and grabbed the kit before contorting with lots of swearing to reach the back seat. He straightened Lars up and cleaned the blood that was smearing his face before disinfecting the wound on his forehead and applying a Band-Aid.

The wounded man emerged a few minutes later from his semi-coma and spoke.

"Hwoarang, what happened?"

"Let's say that the Jack made you physically aware of little he liked you," he answered with a smirk, "but Super Ninja dealt with him."

Lars then noticed that Raven was driving.

"What are you doing here?"

"I set up the meeting," he repeated with annoyance.

"What? But why did you..."

"Jin Kazama is alive," Raven cut him off.

There was silence for a few seconds, and he resisted the urge to laugh at their stunned faces in the mirror.

"What?!" Hwoarang exclaimed.

"How is that possible?" Lars protested. "I saw him disappear with my own eyes!"

"He was found inanimate in the Egyptian desert, near the Sudanese border, a few weeks after the events."

"But where is he?" Hwoarang asked.

"We were attacked during the repatriation of his body. A group of armed mercenaries decimated my team and took him away. Impossible to know who they were. They were neither Americans nor Russians, because both countries are still looking for him. It was not Kazuya, either."

"And Heihachi?" Lars asked.

"It's been two months since he disappeared without a trace."

"I'm sure that bastard is waiting for the right time to get out of his hole!"

"I'm sure he is, but in the meantime, he cannot be found, and I doubt he was the cause of this chaos. Kazuya is the head of the Zaibatsu and the only one who has the resources to hire those kinds of mercenaries."

Lars sighed deeply as he ran a tired hand through his face.

"So, Jin is alive, somewhere in the world, but no one knows where?"

Raven nodded.

"But Kazuya must have heard about it!"

"Certainly."

"Hwoarang, you must contact Xiaoyu immediately!"

"What? No way! I won't give her false hopes after what she's been through!" Hwoarang angrily protested. "We don't even know if he's alive!"

"You don't understand! It's Kazuya! Knowing him, he's going to use her as a means of pressure if we ever find Jin!"

Suddenly alarmed, Hwoarang took out his cell phone and was about to dial the young woman's number.

"No, take mine! You may already be wiretapped!"

"But she might be, too!"

"Then don't give her any clear indication! Stay vague so that they cannot find you!"

Hwoarang took Lars's phone, heart pounding, dialed Xiaoyu's number, put the speaker on, and waited.

She picked up at the end of the fourth ring.

"Hello?" she said in a suspicious voice.

"Hey, hi, Xiao! Listen, I think you recognized the sound of my voice, but don't pronounce my name! Let's say that I'm in deep trouble right now, and I have to be extra careful. Only answer me with yes or no, okay?"

"Uh... Yes..." she said, taken aback.

"Perfect. Do you remember the café where you took me a few years ago? With the nice landlady and her super beefy husband?"

"Um, yes…"

"I need to meet you there in twenty minutes. Is that okay?"

"Twenty minutes... Uh... Yes, I should be there..."

"Perfect! See ya!"

"Eh, wait! What's happening? Why are you…"

"I'll explain when I see you, Xiao. Trust me, please."

"I ... Well, okay, see you."

She hung up, and Hwoarang turned to face his companions.

"What now?"

"We'll drop you off at the café, and you'll explain the situation to Xiaoyu while we go to her home and check that the soldiers aren't expecting her. Then you'll have to leave the city."

"You can't be serious!"

"I'm afraid I am. Knowing Kazuya, he'll stop at nothing to get his way, so we need to make the first move and disappear before he..."

A bullet lodged in the rear windscreen, causing them to jump. Raven made a violent swerve to the left, throwing Hwoarang on Lars.

"They're chasing us," the ninja said in an even voice.

"Shit!" Lars swore as he tried to get up.

A second bullet blew the windshield, sending shards of glass in the vehicle, and Hwoarang, who was only wearing a t-shirt, groaned as shards lacerated his arms. The wind rushed into the car, ruffling their hair.

"Get down!" Lars ordered him, pulling out a gun from its holster.

The Korean obeyed as the exchanges of shots became more intense.

"Take this!" Raven said, handing him a grenade.

He remained speechless before taking the explosive with caution.

"Uh... Tell me, do you often have grenades in your pockets?"

"Always."

He swallowed and passed the grenade to Lars, who was reloading his gun.

"You're crazy!" Lars exclaimed. "We're on a highway! We might injure someone!"

"Make it explode inside their vehicle!" exclaimed Raven, braking suddenly.

His two passengers were thrown forward, but Lars straightened up in time and took advantage of the surprise effect on their pursuers to blow up one of the front wheels of their car. The tire exploded, and the vehicle skidded to the side as the driver desperately tried to brake. He unclogged the grenade and threw it through the windshield. The explosive went through the driver's window, and Raven accelerated to get away as quickly as possible, while their enemies rushed out of the trapped car with panicked shouts.

The explosion lifted the car in the air, and it fell back on the ground as a flaming carcass, producing a thick black smoke. The hot breath of the explosion made them stoop to prevent their hair from burning.

"What is the name of your café?" Raven asked an impassive voice, as if blowing up cars was part of his daily routine.

"Huh? Uh... The Cat's Eye," Hwoarang replied as he tried to remove the broken glass from his arms.

The ninja gave him a look in the mirror and smiled mysteriously.

"Perfect..."

.

-.-===ooo0o0o0ooo===-.-

.

Miki suppressed a giggle upon seeing the terrified look that her young client threw at her husband.

She had known Umibozu since her childhood, but she sometimes forgot that his 6-foot-5-inch frame could be scary for the average person.

She pitied the poor young man and approached him with a gentle smile.

"I'll bring your order right away. Please have a seat."

He did not linger and almost ran away from them.

"Falcon," she said reproachfully to her husband.

The latter stared at her with an expression that was meant to be innocent, but the rising corners of his mouth betrayed him.

"You must stop terrifying the customers," she added, suppressing a smile.

"Humph!" he replied with dignity, turning his back to wipe glasses.

She was about to go on but the doorbell chime echoed, and she turned to welcome the newcomer. She froze, recognizing the young redhead, apparently a Korean, who had already come several times. He had tried to flirt with her, but Falcon had appeared out of nowhere, as usual, and had cooled the young man's eagerness.

"Welcome to the Cat's Eye," she greeted him before gasping upon seeing that he was hurt. "Goodness! Whatever happened to you?!"

"Long story," Hwoarang replied evasively, his eyes scanning the room.

He immediately noticed the girl sitting alone on a bench against a wall. She was wearing dark blue jeans and a black sweater thrice too large for her, and his heart sank.

Ever since her suicide attempt, Xiaoyu had lost a lot of weight. She had styled her hair into a pixie cut that suited her strangely well and brought out the delicacy of her features. She looked so pale, so frail, and so fragile that Hwoarang felt like it would not take much to make her disappear.

And he did not want to relive what had happened a month ago...

.

-.-===ooo0o0o0ooo===-.-

.

 _Something cold and wet was coming and going on his face, and he_ _straightened up with a bound, crying before recognizing_ _Xiaoyu's living room._

 _The clock showed it was exactly eleven-thirty, and_ _he rubbed his eyes and yawned._ _Panda stood in front of him and whined._ _He sighed and wiped the traces of drool on his cheeks with a grimace._ _The animal grabbed a piece of his jeans and pulled it, as if to make him stand up._

 _Despite his fatigue,_ _Hwoarang_ _noticed how frightened_ _Panda looked and fear began to break him down when he remembered Zafina's warning._

" _Don't you ever let her out of sight…"_

 _He leapt off the couch and rushed to the bathroom._ _He skidded without warning and grabbed the wall to avoid a fall, then realized that the floor was flooded. He started pounding_ _on the door, his heart pumping wildly._

 _"Xiao!"_ _he_ _yelled._ " _XIAO!"_

 _When he realized that she would not answer, he smashed the door with a kick and rushed into the bathroom._ _His heart swept violently in his chest when he saw the inert body of his friend at the bottom of the bathtub._

" _No,_ _no,_ _no,_ _no,_ _no..."_

 _He took her in his arms, not giving a damn about her nudity, and lay her down on the floor of the living room._ _His hands were violently shaking, his heart was drumming in his chest, and he wanted to cry, but he tried to calm himself to save the young woman._

 _He grabbed his cell phone, dialed 911, and placed it next to him after turning the speaker on._ _He rolled up his sleeves and began the first aid actions that he had been taught in the army..._

.

-.-===ooo0o0o0ooo===-.-

.

He gritted his teeth as he remembered the relief he had felt when she had spit out water in his face after what had seemed like an eternity, when her eyes had finally opened, and when emergency relief had arrived and taken her to the hospital...

Pushing away his gloomy memories, he forced a smile on his lips and stepped forward to sit in front of her. She had ordered a hot chocolate for herself and a peppermint soda for him.

"Yo, Pigtails! How's it going?"

"Oh, hi! Good, and you?"

"Eh… Could be worse! Thanks for the drink!"

"You're welcome," she replied with a faint smile. "Oh dear! You're hurt! What the hell happened to you?"

"Long story," he sighed, swallowing his drink under the worried eyes of the young woman.

"Your phone call scared me," she went on.

"I know," he sighed. "I'm really sorry, but this is a case of urgency."

"What have you done?"

"Me? Nothing! For once, this has nothing to do with me!"

"With whom, then?

He bit his lip for a few seconds while his friend looked at him anxiously, searching for the right words to break the news to her as gently as possible.

"Listen, Xiao, we've known each other for quite some time. We've been through some tough shit and often supported each other in difficult times..."

"Hwoarang, I really hope you're not trying to propose to me..."

He froze, looking horrified, while a teasing smile spread on the lips of the younger woman, and he finally burst out laughing, relieved to see that she was joking.

"Idiot! In short, what I'm trying to say is that we're friends, and that we can trust each other. All right?"

"Yeah, but you're acting really weird..."

He gently grabbed her hands in his, and his gaze became serious.

"Xiao… Jin is alive."

He saw her eyes widen and her lips part, but he cut her off.

"I know… I know it's hard to believe, because you were there when he confronted that monster, but Raven and Lars just confirmed to me that his body was found. He's alive, Xiao, but he was kidnapped."

Stupor, panic and fear whirled in the young woman's eyes, but she remained speechless.

"Kazuya knows he's alive, Xiao. And Heihachi, too. And they know you're his weakness. I'm sure they plan to use you as a bargaining chip, if they manage to catch you. That's why we have to leave the city."

"But when?" she whispered in a terrified voice.

"Right now. Lars and Raven are checking your place in case they've planned an ambush, but we have to leave before dark."

She opened her mouth to speak but remained silent, her eyes shining with tears reflecting the inner dilemma that consumed her. Hwoarang felt a wave of compassion for his friend and squeezed her hand.

"I'm with you Xiao, I won't abandon you."

"I ... Who took him away?"

"We don't know yet. But until we find out, we must get you out of Kazuya's reach. You saw how this monster is. I dare not imagine what he would do if he were to get his hands on you…"

She shivered with fear and nodded frantically.

"Where do we go?"

"Where he won't find us. At your grandfather's..."


	2. RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME

_**Disclaimer** : I own nothing_

 _Special thanks to my wonderful friend and beta **TheoreticallyEva** for proofreading this chapter and helping me to improve my translation skills.  
_

 _._

* * *

 _Chapter I_

 **RUNNING AWAY** **FROM HOME**

* * *

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"At my grandfather's?!" Xiaoyu exclaimed, wide-eyed. "You can't be serious!"

"Xiao, this is the only place where Kazuya won't find us. No one knows where your grandfather lives, except Lars, Raven and you!" Hwoarang reasoned.

"There's no way I'm endangering him!"

"We have no choice, Xiao! Where do you want us to go? Tokyo is entirely controlled by the Tekken Forces!"

"I'm sure Lars knows somewhere safe..."

"Lars is way too busy saving his own skin! Trust me, let him distract Kazuya while we go to your grandfather's."

"I don't know…"

"Listen, I'm sure he has news about Kazama. I mean, even Zafina crossed half the planet to seek his help!"

"It's not the same," Xiaoyu protested. "You told me Kazuya had nothing to do with Jin's kidnapping, and neither did Heihachi. For all we know, anyone could have done it! Why would my grandpa know anything about it?"

"He's known the Mishimas for ages! He must know if they have enemies capable of planning that kind of kidnapping!"

She remained silent, and he glanced briefly at his cell phone to check the time.

"Xiao, you know I don't like Kazama. But I respect the sacrifice he wanted to make. The least we can do is try to find him..."

"All right," she whispered in a small voice.

"Perfect!" he exclaimed, taking out a crumpled note and placing it on the table. "No time to lose! We need to grab some stuff at your place and get the hell out of here!"

He got up and pulled Xiaoyu out to the nearest subway station. She followed him without a word, a little too obediently for his taste, and he wondered what she was thinking.

"If I didn't know you," she said as they got on the train, "I'd say that you seem thrilled to be chased by a sadistic madman."

"Hahaha, yeah, you're right," he laughed. "It reminds me of when I deserted the army and how they chased me for weeks! Trust me, there's nothing better than the adrenaline of a chase with the police!"

"If you say so," she sighed.

The journey was silent, as they both were lost in their thoughts. Nevertheless, Xiaoyu was on the lookout, since the young man had told her that Kazuya was probably looking for her. Fear made her heart beat a little harder every time she saw a man with the same frame as Jin's father's.

Jin...

How could she have believed he was dead? She was angry at herself for accepting his disappearance so quickly, for not even trying to find him...

"That's our stop," Hwoarang whispered in her ear, making her jump.

She followed him through the corridors of the subway to reach the exit. His presence reassured her. She knew he would not abandon her.

They reached her building after a few minutes of walking and rushed inside. The young man went up first, followed by his friend. When they reached the floor where her apartment was, they froze when they saw that a man was waiting for them next to her door, leaning against the wall.

Tall and well-built, with thick black hair, he was wearing a blue jacket over a red t-shirt and black jeans. His eyes were filled with curiosity as he looked at them with his arms folded.

Hwoarang instinctively stepped before Xiaoyu.

"Don't look so frightened," the man said, smiling. "I don't bite."

"Who are you?" the young man asked without moving.

"My name is Saeba Ryo. And it seems like we have a friend in common," the man continued, without giving up his smile.

"A friend in common?" Xiaoyu repeated.

"A ninja, with skin as dark as his name..."

"What? Raven contacted you?"

"He and Lars could not make it. He asked me to help you leave the city."

"You know Lars, too?" the young woman exclaimed. "Are you part of the resistance, too?"

"Not really... Let's say we are helping each other out."

"What happened to them?" Hwoarang asked.

"It seems that Kazuya Mishima is on their heels—as well as yours. So they asked me to secure your apartment before your arrival."

"What do you mean?"

"A welcome committee was waiting for you. But I took care of them."

"You killed them?" Xiaoyu gasped, a hand on her mouth.

"No, don't worry, they're just knocked out and locked up. Now," he resumed with a serious glare, "we have a lot to do and no time to lose. If you want to leave the city before nightfall, you'll have to do exactly what I tell you, all right?"

.

-.-===ooo0o0o0ooo===-.-

.

"No, no, and no!"

"Hwoarang, please!"

"No freaking way!"

"Come on now…"

"I swear to God that I'll break the knees of whoever approaches my hair, am I clear? And that's true for you, too, Xiao!"

"That's enough!" Ryo bellowed. "Your red hair is way too recognizable! We'll just dye it black!"

"Dammit, why me?" the young man whined with a groan of anger.

"Oh, cut the crap now!" Xiaoyu said.

He grumbled as he made his way to the bathroom with a box of hair dye. Ryo, who was doing some research on his computer, turned to face her.

"The next train to Akita leaves at 5:20 p.m.," he said. "You will arrive there at 9:00 p.m. Will you be okay then to reach your grandfather's house?"

"Yes, we'll be fine."

"Okay, I have to leave to get a few things, but it won't take long. Lock the door behind me, and don't open to anyone."

She nodded and closed the door behind him and before joining Hwoarang in the bathroom.

"How's it going?"

"Dammit," he grumbled. "How long do I have to leave this thing on my head?"

"About twenty minutes."

"Where's Ryo?"

"He left to get some stuff. We must take the 5:20 pm train to be there by 9:00 pm."

He glanced at his cell phone and nodded. He then looked at her carefully and noticed her paleness and nervousness.

"Is everything all right?"

"I'm terrified," she confessed with a nervous laugh. "In less than an hour, you tell me that Jin is alive, that Kazuya is on our heels, that we must leave the city... It's just too much to take on..."

"I'm sorry, Xiao."

"It's not your fault," she sighed. "It's just… hard to cope. And I'm scared of what might happen to us."

"Nothing will happen to us," her friend said in a reassuring tone. "We're not alone. Lars, Raven, and even Ryo are here to help."

"By the way, how come you've been in contact with Lars?"

Hwoarang looked embarrassed and ran a hand over his face.

"He learned about your suicide attempt and made me promise to keep an eye on you. He felt guilty."

Xiaoyu seemed embarrassed, too, and an uncomfortable silence settled between them during what seemed like an eternity, until three knocks at the door made them jump.

"It's Ryo!" said their bodyguard behind the door, and the young woman hastened to open it.

He put a black backpack on the table and started emptying it.

"Lars has contacted all the people who could help you, and here are a few things to help you guys travel easily. These are your new passports."

"What?!" Hwoarang exclaimed. "How did you do it? And so fast!"

"Let's say we know the right people," Ryo smiled, handing each of them a red Japanese passport.

"Kawazu Hinata," Xiaoyu read.

"And I'm Matsuyama Keisuke. Why didn't you give me a Korean passport? I can speak Japanese, but not well enough to pass as one."

"To melt more easily into the masses. Also, this is your marriage certificate," he added, handing them a plasticized paper.

And then, there was silence. Until…

"WHAT?!"

"It's a fake! You'll have to pretend if you're asked!"

"Why the hell do you want us to pretend to be a married couple?"

"Because it will be easier for you if you are to travel longer than expected. And it will allow you to stay together no matter what. A married couple is less suspicious than a couple of friends of both sexes. Some regions are still conservative enough on the issue. Here," he added, handing them two rings, "your wedding rings."

Xiaoyu glanced at Hwoarang, who looked horrified, and almost burst out laughing. She took the ring and passed it onto her finger while her friend did the same, with a visible repugnance.

"Here, Hwoarang! Go put them on."

The young man took the clothes Ryo handed him and locked himself in the bathroom.

"Xiaoyu, these are for you."

The blue dress he held out to her was superb, and the gray cardigan was very soft. She took the clothes and went to her room to change. She also put on black leggings and flat boots. Although they were in March, the weather was still cold. She wrapped a black scarf around her neck and grabbed a beanie and gloves of the same color.

She joined Ryo and froze when she saw Hwoarang. His now black hair gave him a more mature and manly look. He was wearing dark blue jeans and a gray V-neck sweater over a blue shirt. He looked totally different, and she could not help but notice how attractive he was.

"I look like a clown!" he complained, pulling at his sweater.

"Not at all, you look like a quite ordinary couple, and that is exactly the purpose of all this! You should blend into the masses. And now, listen to me, both of you."

His serious tone filled the young woman with anguish.

"You are wanted by a man who has colossal means. You must be extremely careful. First of all, give me your cellphones and credit cards..."

"What?!"

"It's the easiest way to get you traced. It only takes one cash withdrawal, one phone call, wherever you might be, for Kazuya to find you in no time."

Xiaoyu swallowed hard and handed her cellphone and credit card to Ryo. Hwoarang did the same without a word of complaint.

"You can trust me," their bodyguard assured them. "I'll give them back to you as soon as this is over."

 _But when will it be over?_ the young woman thought bitterly.

"In the meantime, you will use these two phones. They are encrypted so that no one can trace your calls. You have Lars's number inside."

He handed them two iPhones, and Xiaoyu uttered a cry of joy while Hwoarang pouted.

"Ha, Apple isn't worth Samsung!"

"Since when have you been so chauvinist?" his friend teased him, and he scowled.

"Another thing: This is a credit card to pay for your trips. The code is 9478. The account is under Mr. and Mrs. Matsuyama's names. Don't forget that these are your new identities. Try to travel light, and buy what you need as you go. Lars has put a large sum of money on that account, so you should be well provided for."

"Now that is great!" Hwoarang said with a large grin.

"I know what you're up to," Ryo warned. "Xiaoyu will keep the card. Here's a wallet with some cash. Keep it safe."

"Ryo, what should we do if something happens?" Xiaoyu asked.

"Like what?"

"Let's say that Kazuya manages to find us, and that we must flee abroad."

"Lars has contacts all over Japan and the world. Your phones will work everywhere. You just have to call them if anything happens..."

"We have to go," Hwoarang interrupted, pointing to the clock.

Ryo nodded and Xiaoyu ran to her room to take a backpack from her closet in which she stuffed some clothes. Her eyes fell on the picture taken by Panda years ago, where she and Jin smiled, and she hesitated before taking it out of its frame and stuffing it into her bag.

They grabbed their belongings, went out of the apartment, and she closed the door with a knot in her stomach, wondering if she would ever come back…

.

-.-===ooo0o0o0ooo===-.-

.

The Ueno station was not very crowded, and they had no trouble buying two tickets for Akita and finding their train. With Ryo and Hwoarang by her side, Xiaoyu felt calmer than she would have thought, and their upcoming getaway awakened her adventurous side.

They put their bags on the train before joining their friend on the platform.

"Ryo, listen, I have a friend named Panda," Xiaoyu said, "she's a… giant panda."

She smiled at his terrified face.

"She was my bodyguard in the previous tournaments and... Well, my friend, Miharu Hirano is currently housing her. Can you make sure that nothing happens to them? I don't want them to… because of me..."

She paused, her eyes glittering with tears, and Ryo gave her a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of them."

"Thank you very much," she said, bowing deeply and handing him a piece of paper. "Here's her number and address."

An automated voice announced that the train would leave in five minutes.

"Thank you very much for your help," Hwoarang said, shaking his hand. "I hope we'll meet again."

"I'm sure we will," replied Ryo, smiling at him. "And don't worry, everything will be fine. Lars and I have your backs. Go now, and good luck!"

They went to their seats and waved at their friend before the train moved off, and he disappeared in the crowd.

Xiaoyu sighed deeply and leaned her head against the window.

"Hey, are you OK?" Hwoarang worried.

"Yeah, don't worry. The pressure is easing."

"Try to get some rest."

"What about you?"

"I'll try to figure out how this thing works," he said, pointing to his iPhone.

She burst out laughing and closed her eyes, resting her head on her "husband's" shoulder, letting herself be lulled by the sound of his breath and the sound of the train until she fell asleep.

.

-.-===ooo0o0o0ooo===-.-

.

 _The two years following the end_ _of_ _the_ _third_ _tournament_ _were the_ _longest Xiaoyu had ever lived._

 _The sudden disappearance of Jin had wounded her heart, and although Heihachi had promised to do everything in his power to find him, she_ _gradually locked herself into a dull routine._

 _She dedicated all her time to schoolwork and training with a rigor and a will that surprised the Mishima patriarch and Miharu._ _The latter did her best to cheer her up, although she, too, did not understand the reasons for the disappearance of their friend._

 _She had thought since the tournament was over and she had not won that her mentor would want her to return to China._ _But he had categorically refused, arguing that she should continue to train and that her studies were important._

 _She had been secretly relieved._ _Japan was her new home, and even though Jin was gone, returning to China was as if she were abandoning him._

 _These two years passed thus, each day exactly like the preceding one, until that evening of July when she received this email, sent anonymously:_

" _Heihachi is not what he seems._ _Get away_ _before it is too late…"_

 _Dazed, she had spent a good quarter of an hour reading and re-reading this message. She had hoped it had been sent by Jin, but she did not understand why he would tell her to beware of Heihachi. She had answered him by asking him who he was and the reason for such a warning. Unfortunately, this anonymous sender did not reply._

 _Yet she had regained confidence, persuading herself that Jin was alive, gradually regained her joie de vivre and enthusiasm.  
_

 _When Heihachi summoned her to announce that he was organizing a fourth tournament, the warnings came back to her mind. She decided to participate in the tournament in hopes of seeing Jin again, but also to find out what Heihachi was up to..._

.

-.-===ooo0o0o0ooo===-.-

.

Hwoarang gently woke her up a few hours later. She sat up, yawning, and noticed that it was dark outside and that the train had stopped.

"We've arrived," the young man warned her as the passengers around them gradually left the vehicle.

With heavy eyelids, she stood up and followed him out of the train. The coolness of the evening and the blowing wind woke her up completely, and she tightened her scarf around her neck before gesturing at Hwoarang to follow her.

They left the city to go deep into the forest overlooking Akita, and after twenty minutes of walking, Xiaoyu found the path that led up to her grandfather's. It was pitch black, and the woods, shaken by the wind, were frightening, but the young woman felt safe with her friend.

"How is he, your grandfather?" Hwoarang suddenly asked.

"You've never met him?"

"How was I supposed to meet him?"

"He participated in the fifth tournament."

"No way! I didn't see him! How far did he go?"

"I think he stopped in the quarterfinals. He didn't come to win anyway."

"Why then? To watch his darling granddaughter?"

"Idiot! He was a friend of Jinpachi Mishima, Jin's great-grandfather, and he's the one who contacted him to participate in the tournament."

"What happened to him?"

"Jinpachi? He died at the end of the tournament, and that's why... Oh! There it is!" she exclaimed, pointing to the smoke rising above the trees.

They finally reached the small wooden house, and Xiaoyu knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" a dry voice asked.

"It's Xiaoyu, grandfather, let me in!"

The door opened and Jinrei's suspicious eye scrutinized them before he recognized her. He quickly opened the door.

"Xiao! What on earth are you doing here at such a late hour?"

"I know, Grandpa, I'm sorry, but we're in big trouble, and…"

"What do you mean 'we'?"

He had not seen Hwoarang, who stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

"Master Wang, we are sorry to show up to your house this way, but we need a roof for the night."

"You are Master Doo San's disciple?"

"Yes, my name is Hwoarang."

"Come in, come in quickly, you will explain everything inside," he said, stepping aside to let them pass, before closing the door.

They took off their shoes and put down their bags before settling on the cushions in the small living room. A nice fire was burning in the stove, lighting the room, and soon, they felt warmed up. Jinrei reappeared with a tray containing a vegetable curry dish and rice and put it on a small table.

"Eat," he ordered. "You look famished."

They obeyed and gulped down the food while the old man served them some hot tea. Once they were full, he spoke.

"Well, explain everything to me."

"Jin is alive, Master," Hwoarang began. "Raven broke the news to Lars and me this afternoon. But he was kidnapped after his body was discovered. And neither Kazuya nor Heihachi are responsible. Do you know could have done it?"

The old man remained silent for a moment, deep in his thoughts, then shook his head.

"The whole world is seeking revenge against Jin Kazama," he said. "However, no one wants him dead as much as Kazuya and Heihachi. But this does not explain why you came all the way here."

"Kazuya is looking for us," replied Xiaoyu. "He sent soldiers to my apartment."

The already wrinkled face of her grandfather creased with anxiety.

"Don't worry," the young woman reassured him, "Raven sent one of his contacts to help us. We were able to leave the city without any trouble, and as I didn't know where to go, Hwoarang suggested that we come to see you, because no one knows where you hide."

Jinrei nodded and stared at her for a few moments, which made Xiaoyu uncomfortable because she felt he was trying to read her mind.

"You've changed," he said with a frown.

"What do you mean?"

"I do not know. Your eyes are different. Has something happened to you?"

She silently cursed him for being so clairvoyant. He did not know that she had tried to kill herself, and she absolutely did not want him to know. To distract him from his questions, she forced herself to smile and took off her beanie, revealing her short hair, making him gasp.

"I think I'm just growing up," she replied. "I could not stay a pigtailed brat forever! You should be happy, you've always complained about my lack of seriousness!"

A flash resounded, making them jump, then the rain began to fall.

"Master," Hwoarang began, "you've known the Mishimas for years. I think we have many questions."

The old man closed his eyes, sighed deep, and then he stood up painfully.

"Sleep, we'll talk tomorrow."

He pointed at the little mezzanine above their heads and wished them a good night before disappearing into what must be his room. Xiaoyu stood up and pointed at a wooden stool. Hwoarang got the hint and grabbed it to get upstairs.

The space was very small, with a sloping ceiling, but big enough for them both. A small window revealed a sky of black ink and the trees of the forest agitated by the rain and the wind. From a small cupboard, she pulled out two futons that she unrolled, and she added a blanket and a pillow before slipping ungracefully into her bed. The young man did the same, and they remained silent, listening to the sound of the rain on the roof and the crackling of the fire in the stove.

"Xiao," Hwoarang muttered. "I don't think it was a good idea to come here. Your grandfather doesn't look pleased to see us."

"He's worried," she said sleepily. "He knows a lot of things, and Kazuya would gladly get rid of him if he knew where he was. We'll see tomorrow if Lars can find us another place..."

.

-.-===ooo0o0o0ooo===-.-

.

The thunder roared with a crash, and Xiaoyu awoke with a start. The house was silent, except for Hwoarang's snores, but the coldness of the room surprised her. She turned and saw that the window was ajar. Then she remembered perfectly that it was closed when they went to bed.

In normal times, she would have fallen asleep right away without questioning it.

However, the forced runaway had made her more suspicious, and she straightened up, despite her fatigue, to inspect the living room. From the corner of her eye, she saw a shadow coming from behind the closet but did not have time to do anything before an arm wrapped around her throat and an iron hand clapped on her mouth. She tried to struggle, but her opponent was inflexible.

"Stop fidgeting, stupid girl! I'm not here to kill you, although I wouldn't mind!" a voice she instantly recognized said, which provoked a violent wave of hatred.

"Kazuya knows you're here!" the voice continued before releasing her. "If you don't get the hell out of here right now, you won't have much of a chance!"

Xiaoyu turned to face Nina, all clad in black. She had the almost uncontrollable urge to jump at her throat and sink her teeth in her skin, but what she had just said felt like a punch in the face.

"How does he know?"

"Your phones aren't as untraceable as you think," she replied scornfully, exacerbating Xiaoyu's rage. "They'll be here in less than ten minutes. You should get going," she added, throwing a small object at her. "This is an interference signal. It might come in handy..."

"Why are you helping me?"

"Don't get carried away. For me, you remain a useless nuisance..."

"How gracious," the young woman snarled, clenching her fists.

"... However, Jin didn't agree."

Her speaking about Jin was the last straw, and she pounced on her. Nina swiftly moved to the side, and she landed on Hwoarang, who awoke with a scream.

"You let him die!" she cried with tears of rage in the eyes.

"Dammit, what's going on?!" the young man swore, trying to extricate himself from his blanket.

"You know nothing, little girl," Nina retorted with a grin. "But I have no time to waste with you. You will find out by yourself. That is, if you stay alive..."

And she escaped through the little window.

"Xiao! What is happening?" came the voice of his grandfather downstairs.

"They found us!" Xiaoyu cried as she quickly went down the ladder. "Hwoarang! Quick! We have to go!"

She ran to put on her shoes as the young man cursed. The faint sound of a helicopter afar terrified her, and she felt her hands shake in spite of herself. Jinrei joined her, his face wrinkled by anxiety, and he handed her a black book closed with a red string.

"Here, take it and hide it!"

She obeyed without asking why while her friend was busy putting on his shoes. The noise of the helicopter became closer, and she felt her heart drumming like it wanted out.

"Grandpa, quick! We must flee!"

But the old man just shook his head. Xiaoyu stared at him, not knowing how to react, then she understood, and her heart tightened painfully in her chest.

"No! Don't!"

"There is no other way, Xiaoyu. Both of you need to leave now!"

"NO!" she cried, feeling tears in her eyes.

"Hwoarang..." Jinrei murmured, closing his eyes.

Xiaoyu felt lifted from the ground, and she protested as her friend threw her over his shoulder like a bag. She tried to break free from his grip, but she realized with despair that she was no longer as strong and agile as she used to be.

"Put me down!" she yelled, struggling. "Hwoarang! I swear to God..."

"Quick, this way!" the old man exclaimed, opening the back door leading to the forest.

"NO! No, Grandpa, I beg you..."

"Go to Osaka! Find Junichi Kazama!"

"Grandpa!" she sobbed as the rain and tears blinded her, and Hwoarang ran as fast as possible to hide in the forest.

"Everything will be fine, Xiaoyu!"

For the second time in her life, she felt the same pain that had struck her when Jin had died before her eyes, and she reached out to her grandfather in a pathetic last gesture of hope as the helicopter appeared in a frightful roar.

The last thing she saw was Jinrei's reassuring smile, before a rocket exploded the little wooden house and made him disappear into the flames...

.

* * *

Now, guys, it really is a pleasure to see that many people read my story, but I really want to know your thoughts about that chapter. So, feel free to leave a review to tell me what you liked or disliked, it helps me improve.

See you in two weeks for the next chapter!


	3. MEMOIRS FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE

_I know, I'm very late for this update and I apologize, but translating it took me more time than I thought. Despite my tardiveness, I really hope you will enjoy this chapter: it was one of the most fun to write, because I got to do some historic researches and let my imagination run wild! Hopefully you guys will enjoy it as much as I do!_

 _Again, a big fat thank you to my friend **TheoreticallyEva** for being a wonderful beta! Go check her stories, she is a gifted writer and an avid Tekken fan like me!  
_

 _._

 _._

* * *

 _Chapter II_

 **MEMOIRS FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE**

* * *

.

.

Curled up against Hworang, Xiaoyu sobbed noiselessly, so as not to wake the passengers of the train that was driving them to Osaka.

Last night was undoubtedly the worst of their lives.

The soldiers had chased them, and Hwoarang had activated the gadget Nina had given them and got rid of one of the phones. They had taken refuge in some sort of cave after an exhausting pursuit under a torrential rain and through the muddy forest. They had spent the night curled up against each other to protect themselves from the cold while they heard soldiers patrolling around them, thankfully without finding them. The signal jammer seemed to have been pretty effective.

When the first gleams of day had timidly pointed through the thick foliage of the trees, Hwoarang had drawn an amorphous and frozen Xiaoyu behind him. They had cautiously descended the mountain and rushed into the first konbini they had found. He had practically forced her to swallow some hot tea and cakes. She was so exhausted that she let him drag her to the toilets to remove the mud that was smearing her clothes and face.

He had left her to the care of the young student who managed the shop while he had gone to buy two tickets to Osaka. The first train was at 6:00 a.m. and arrived at Tokyo at 9:45 a.m., which gave them a quarter of an hour to take the second train.

He had also called Asuka to warn her of their arrival and ask her to pick them up at the station. He had briefly explained the situation and asked if her parents would agree to host them, which they did.

He joined Xiaoyu, who had changed in the meantime and had bought some food before boarding the train.

He gently stroked her hair, trying to appease her the best he could, while he himself was overwhelmed by what had happened. He regretted obeying the old man and abandoning him to his sad fate, but he also knew that if he had not done so, their fate would not have been better. Xiaoyu must resent him and he could not blame her.

Jinrei's sudden death had greatly shocked Hwoarang. Nina had told them that their cell phones were not properly protected, and he had realized with a horrible feeling of guilt that if they had stayed in the house, their enemies would not have exploded it and just captured the three of them. The old man would still be alive, and Xiaoyu would not be so devastated.

But perhaps he had foreseen that he would die tonight. Perhaps he had preferred death rather than falling into Kazuya's hands?

"What did your grandfather give you?" he asked in a soft voice, so as not to startle her.

She remained silent for a long time, then she straightened up and grabbed her backpack. She pulled out the little black notebook, tied by a red ribbon. After a moment of hesitation, she untied the ribbon and opened the notebook on the first page, her hands trembling, while Hwoarang bent over to read with her.

.

.

=l=l=-.-ooo0o0o0ooo-.-=l=l=

.

.

 _My dear Xiaoyu,_

 _If you are reading these lines, then I am unfortunately no longer part of this world._

 _As you know, I was Jinpachi Mishima's close friend._ _This notebook contains my memories from our very first meeting to the last events, and I hope that you will find the answers you are seeking._

 _I wish I could have told you face to face, but you will understand, after reading these pages, that the risk of putting you in danger was far too great._

 _I hope you will forgive, dear granddaughter, the secrets of an old man who loved you more than anything._

 _I was born in Shanghai, in 1903, in a wealthy family._ _China had recently opened its doors to foreign trade, and my father, an art dealer, had made his fortune by selling to the Occidentals' precious and luxurious objects, works of goldsmiths that were then jealously guarded by our country: delicately crafted sandalwood, jade and ivory jewelry, the finest porcelain, bonzes in solid gold..._

 _I'd grown up in this environment ever since I was a little boy, but, to the great displeasure of my parents, I have never really been interested in trading._ _Martial arts excited me more than the contemplation of an engraving or a vase._ _My father agreed to send me to Beijing to follow the teachings of the renowned Master Wang Xiangzhai on the sole condition that I take over the family business on my return._

 _I agreed and was trained in xing yi quan until I was eighteen._ _During my final year of study, my master enrolled me and his other disciples in a martial arts tournament that brought together several fighters from all over Asia._ _I passed the first and second rounds without too much difficulty, but I lost the next fight against a young Japanese man called Jinpachi Mishima._

 _Although deeply humiliated, I extracted from him the promise of a rematch as soon as I became stronger._ _We kept in contact and ended up becoming very good friends. However, we did not see each other again until five years later, during a trip to Japan organized by my father._ _I had always wished to discover this fascinating country, and Jinpachi made it his mission to show me around._ _My father made his acquaintance and was pleased to learn that he was the future head of the Mishima Enterprise, a promising scientific research company._

 _Our friendship flourished, resisting the wars and the distance, and we met again on his wedding day a few years later._ _His wife, Hatsumyo, was a young and charming person, incredibly sweet and gentle._ _My friend was happy, and his happiness made me realize that I was at a point of my life where I needed to find a wife._

 _My parents introduced me to a large number of potential brides, but I admit today that I was incredibly hard to please and that I almost got disowned by my father._ _However, I was right to be so demanding; otherwise, I would never have met your grandmother._ _She was the_ _daughter of a good family, pretty and intelligent, and she had—unlike all the pretenders—a liveliness that immediately seduced me._

 _I invited Jinpachi and Hatsumyo to my wedding. However, he was the only one able to come because his wife was expecting their first child and could not travel._ _This was the last time we saw each other, for the Second World War was about to explode, and our two countries were on the brink of confrontation._ _I then tried to shelter my family and bought a house lost in the Qinghai mountains, far from the coast, where we remained hidden for years until the end of the Japanese occupation._

 _But enough about me. I have already told you the story of our family many times. I would rather focus on the Mishimas, because their history is what you want to know._

 _I learned later, through a long letter, that Jinpachi had been forcibly enlisted by the Japanese army as a fighting instructor._ _He had to leave behind his wife and young son, Heihachi, who was only seven years old, and did not see them again until three years later, when he deserted._ _Like me, he was a fervent pacifist;_ _the horrors he had seen during the war had deeply affected him, and he was obliged to hide to escape the court-martial._ _One of his high-ranking friends interceded in his favor so that he would not be executed, and he was finally sentenced to pay a heavy fine._

 _Jinpachi was forty-six when the atomic bomb struck Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and Heihachi was thirteen._ _The father was deeply traumatized and horrified at the desolation and carnage it had generated; Heihachi, although equally shocked, was fascinated by the power the bomb owners had and the innumerable possibilities that flowed from it._

 _If these events marked the beginning of his obsession for power, it was the death of his mother two years later of a pneumonia that crystallized it._ _The powerlessness of the doctors to save her made him mad with rage, and he promised to do everything possible to make the family business a pioneer in scientific research._

 _Over the years, the gap between father and son widened._

 _Heihachi spent most of his time reading military magazines and English books, while Jinpachi was doing his best to overcome his grief and continue to run the Mishima business._ _He did not understand his son's interest in military technology, as he was opposed to violence, and Heihachi could not stand the stubbornness of his father._

 _When he was sixteen, he sneaked into a US army base one night to get a closer look at the weapons his magazines were talking about._ _But he was soon found out, and the police took him back to his father's at dawn._ _Jinpachi, furious and humiliated by his son's behavior, decided to send him to a boarding school in Sapporo for the last two years of his education, exacerbating his resentment towards him._ _They only met twice during that period and rarely wrote to each other._

 _After graduating, he returned to the family house and enrolled in the Experimental Sciences department at Tokyo University._ _That was where he met his wife, Kazumi Iwasaki._

 _The young woman immediately charmed him with her beauty, her freshness, her vivacity of mind and her sweetness._ _But she also had the not insignificant advantage of being the heiress of Yataro Iwasaki, the founder of the Mitsubishi conglomerate._ _The young woman, who was a few months younger than him, resisted his assiduous courting for almost a year._ _Heihachi was a handsome lad, but his charisma and self-confidence were overwhelming to her, as she was so shy._

 _If Jinpachi had reservations about the Iwasakis, due to Mitsubishi's military involvement during the war, he was pleasantly surprised by his son's choice of wife._ _Kazumi was the perfect daughter-in-law, and her good heart and character ended up convincing the Mishima patriarch to let her in their family._

 _The Iwasakis did not oppose their union._ _The Mishimas were an honorable and respected family, their society was prosperous, and the young Heihachi was ambitious and madly in love._

 _The marriage was celebrated at the end of their studies, and Kazumi moved to the Mishima manor._ _Her presence illuminated the house, which had become sad and austere after Hatsumyo's death._ _She was a devoted wife, and she also took care of Jinpachi._ _Heihachi worked hard, thus often leaving the young woman alone, and she got close to her father-in-law, who allowed her to do all the work and improvements she wanted._ _She therefore set about making the building more welcoming, decorated, and cozy._ _She spent hours in the large garden of the property with the gardeners to restore all the splendor it had lost since being abandoned._

 _Her efforts ended up paying off, and—not content with having restored the manor's character—she had won the respect and sympathy of the servants, who saw that she was hardworking and quite charming._

 _The first year of their marriage passed as if in a dream, and the two spouses were as enamored as the first day._

 _The change occurred insidiously a few months later during a family dinner that gathered together the Mishimas and the Iwasakis._ _Kazumi's mother had asked her daughter if she and her husband were planning on having children, and the young woman, surprised, had answered in the affirmative._ _Her father, who was a little tipsy, had subsequently advised his son-in-law not to delay producing an heir._

 _Heihachi, irritated that his manhood was openly questioned, said nothing but started to worry._ _It was true that they had only been married for a year; however, the couples around them usually had their first child quite quickly, and he was worried that he would be considered weak if they did not have a child soon._

 _His anxiety turned into obsession, and the family meals became a real torture for both spouses, constantly scrutinized by their elders._ _Heihachi finally fed up with his in-laws, and despite the combined efforts of Jinpachi and Kazumi to pacify things, he now refused to welcome them._ _He became taciturn and shady, haranguing his wife for trifles._ _He spent a considerable time at work and came home exhausted, stressed, and aggressive._

 _The young woman deeply suffered from this situation._ _Being a mother was her dearest wish, and she did not understand why she could not get pregnant._ _She loved her husband more than anything, but his mood swings worried her._ _Heihachi had never raised his hand at her and would never do so, but he had become suspicious and possessive._ _He dismissed two servants on the pretext that he found them too close to his wife and demanded to know her whereabouts._ _She could no longer visit her family, and he only allowed her to leave the property after a thorough interrogation that left her in tears._

 _She knew that her husband loved her passionately, but his possessiveness and authority stifled and frightened her._

 _Jinpachi, who was also very much invested by his work, finally realized the behavior of his son when he found his daughter-in-law in tears one evening on his way home from work._ _He tried to intervene, but Heihachi dug in his heels. The conversation almost resulted in a physical confrontation, which was only avoided by Kazumi's interference._ _The two men remained at odds with each other, and the young woman gradually sank into sadness and despair._

 _The second year of their marriage passed. After months of vain efforts, Kazumi eventually got pregnant._ _This news made the couple mad with joy, and Heihachi became as considerate and pleasant as he used to be._ _Unfortunately, she miscarried after three months of pregnancy._ _The doctor who examined her explained to her defeated husband that she had a uterine malformation and that the chances of her getting pregnant again were small._

 _Time stopped for weeks._ _Kazumi remained prostrate in her room while Heihachi dedicated his body and soul to his work._ _They spoke only to exchange banalities and suffered in silence in their own corners._

 _Jinpachi, saddened to see them sinking in despair, talked at length with his daughter-in-law and offered to set up meetings with researchers._ _She refused on the ground that she could not bear to lose a child again and resumed her life._ _She bravely endured the coldness and indifference of her husband, who insidiously blamed her for the loss of their child._

 _An old servant who had been serving the Mishimas for years took pity on her and advised her to go to a healer who officiated in a temple lost in the mountains._ _At first reluctant, Kazumi eventually agreed to go after weeks of reflection, accompanied by the old woman, while Heihachi was on a business trip._

 _The healer did not perform a medical examination, but she asked her how far she was willing to go to have a child._ _The young woman thought about her husband that she still deeply loved, about their past happiness, and imagined what her childless future would be like._ _Heihachi would perhaps repudiate her, or they would be condemned to live together, both filled with regret and bitterness, and she knew with certainty that she could not live such a life._ _She wanted to bring back the happy and loving man she had met years ago, so she answered that she would do anything._

 _The woman smiled mysteriously, which made her shiver with uneasiness, and handed her a delicately crafted wooden box._ _It seemed as old as the world but bore no trace of usury._ _When she took it, the box was strangely hot, which surprised her._ _The healer said she did not want any money and advised her to keep it close to her and hide it from anyone._ _Kazumi accepted and left the temple._ _The old servant seemed equally astonished at the strangeness of their conversation, and concluded that the box must have been purified by monks and would doubtless bring her luck._

 _Nothing happened during the following days, and Kazumi wondered if it was not just a bad joke._ _Heihachi and she did not sleep in the same room anymore, so she kept the box in a chest near her bed._ _She gazed at it every night before falling asleep, without anything happening._

 _One night, however, she had a disturbing dream._ _She was in a dark place, alone, and could see nothing but the darkness around her._ _A voice rose, soft and charming, and asked her what she would give in exchange for a child._ _Frightened, Kazumi asked who was talking, but it did not answer and asked its question again._

" _Anything," she replied._

" _Would you give me your soul?"_

 _She hesitated, then realized that she must certainly be dreaming and replied in the affirmative._ _A halo of purple and foggy light then surrounded her and thickened into a humanoid form with scarlet eyes that pounced on her at lightning speed._ _She felt an unbearable pressure around her head and woke up screaming._

 _Trembling and covered in sweat, she come to her senses as the servants crowded around her with anxiety._ _She reassured them, explaining that she just had a nightmare and went back to sleep._ _The next morning, she awoke, overflowing with a vitality that she had not felt for many months._ _Instead of remaining prostrate in her room as she was now used to doing, she bathed, dressed carefully, and asked the chauffeur, who was surprised to see her so joyful, to take her to town._ _She bought new clothes, as well as groceries for dinner, and gave the servants leave for the day._

 _She spent the afternoon cooking the dishes that her husband liked most, and when Heihachi came home from work, he was more than surprised to find his smiling wife waiting for him in front of a table covered with appetizing dishes._ _Speechless, he settled in front of her and gazed at her. She was radiant in her new kimono, and he realized that he had forgotten how beautiful and desirable she was._ _Thanks to the meal and alcohol, they forgot their discomfort and found themselves as passionate as before._ _Heihachi moved back to their room, and the dark and heavy atmosphere that had reigned in the manor disappeared._

 _Kazumi realized one day with amazement that she was pregnant again, when she noticed that she had not had her period for several months, and the physician confirmed it._ _Despite her fears and anxieties, and the attentiveness of her husband who was not at all attentive, the nine months of pregnancy passed without a cloud._ _Both spouses were delighted, as was Jinpachi, who hoped that the arrival of a baby would soften the character of his son, as well as their relationship._

 _Kazumi's water broke one November evening._ _As Heihachi was away, she sent the servants to warn him that she was about to give birth._ _The doctor who had followed her during her pregnancy arrived at once, as did Jinpachi, who had left work in haste._ _After a few hours of labour, she gave birth to a boy and asked her stepfather to join her in the delivery room._

 _She handed him his grandson, asked him to call him Kazuya, and died as Heihachi was crossing the gate of the property._ _His sadness and sorrow were heartbreaking when he entered the room and discovered the lifeless body of his wife._ _His father handed him his son, but he paid no attention to the baby and insisted that they leave the room._

 _He refused to see Kazuya for almost a month, and it was Jinpachi who took care of the child._ _Their complicity and affection grew at the same time as Heihachi's hatred._ _The latter, overwhelmed with grief, saw in this child, once so wanted, the one who had robbed his wife from him._ _Unable to acknowledge his wrongs, he also resented his father for being with his wife in her last moments instead of him. The bitterness made him dark, and he took refuge in work, fleeing the family home._

 _He invested his whole body and soul in the Mishima Enterprise and contributed greatly to its incredible expansion._ _When he tried to invest funds in research and the production of military equipment, Jinpachi vehemently vetoed._ _The two men tried to make every possible compromise, but they both stuck doggedly to their positions._ _Heihachi cursed his father for being alive and opposing him tirelessly._ _He eventually ended up organizing a mutiny with the help of the society's partners that he had bribed into supporting him._

 _Contrary to what he had expected, Jinpachi did not take the news badly and told his son that he was leaving the manor and taking Kazuya with him._ _Heihachi, delighted to see him leave without a fuss, refused nevertheless to leave the boy to him and sent him away._

 _Little Kazuya, who was just four years old, knew the harshest years of his life._ _Left to the care of servants, he was treated severely by his father, who had little interest in him._ _He taught him Mishima-style karate and was an intractable teacher, showing no compassion for him._ _He bullied him and mocked him for his fragility and gentleness, traits he had inherited from his mother._ _In spite of all this, the little boy did his best to get back to his frightening father's good graces, but never succeeded._

 _Jinpachi's impromptu return, after a year's absence, was the trigger that changed the course of the events._

 _He came to the manor one evening and was greeted by Heihachi, who was furious to see him again._ _He told him that he had contacted the partners of the Mishima Enterprise and that he had learned how his son had convinced them to turn on him._ _Heihachi then offered him a deal: they would fight in single combat; if Jinpachi won, he would have the firm back, but if he lost, he would leave Japan forever._

 _Jinpachi agreed and they sank through the forest that adjoined their property to reach the Hon-maru, a massive temple that belonged to their family._ _They fought for hours, neither wanting to lose to the other._ _In the end, Heihachi's youth and resistance overcame his old father, who acknowledged his defeat and was ready to keep his promise._ _Unfortunately for my old friend, his son took advantage of his exhaustion to knock him out and chain him in the basement of Hon-maru, condemning him to an atrocious death._

 _Was he afraid that Jinpachi would come back one day?_ _Or did he simply want to get rid of his father?_

 _As he left the temple, he was surprised to see little Kazuya, barely hidden behind a column._ _The boy admitted that he had followed them because he wanted to see his grandfather again._ _Heihachi dragged him into the forest, promising him that he would see Jinpachi very soon, and the confident child followed him without protest until they reached the edge of a ravine._ _Heihachi got into his fighting stance, told him that they would fight, and promised that if he won, only then could he see his grandfather._ _Caught off-guard, Kazuya thought that his father was joking and did not expect to receive a violent kick that sent him to the ground._ _His father had not restrained himself, and the pain in his belly made him understand with anguish that he was deadly serious._ _He struggled to get up, on his father's orders, shaking like a leaf._ _He hardly parried the second blow, and the third one hit him in the jaw and threw him into the air._ _He landed on the ground, groaning in pain, and could not prevent the tears from falling._

 _Snarling at this pathetic spectacle, Heihachi felt all his hatred and sadness sweep over him like a tsunami, and he grabbed his son by the collar of his kimono and held him hanging at arm's length over the ravine._ _The little boy realized what his father was about to do, and his tearful eyes widened in shock._

" _Now, let's see if you are worthy to be my heir..."_

 _And he let him fall..._

 _He watched his son disappear into the endless abyss with morbid fascination, and the screams faded into a dead silence._ _He remained motionless for a moment, then went home as normally as if he had not just gotten rid of his own father and son._ _He feigned worry wonderfully when the servants came to wake him up in the middle of the night to warn him that Kazuya had disappeared._ _The tearful father act duped the police, but not some of the servants, who knew better than anyone how the patriarch treated his son behind closed doors._

 _The surprise was therefore widespread when Kazuya reappeared after five days._

 _His clothes were tattered and covered in dirt, he had multiple cuts and dried blood on his limbs, but it was the enormous wound on his chest that shocked the doctors because it had already healed._ _Heihachi wondered how his son could have survived such a fall, and when he met his gaze, he shivered with fear as he saw a reddish gleam in his irises._

 _The boy kept silent when asked about his disappearance and people eventually thought that the trauma had made him mute._ _For weeks, he stayed in his room, hardly ate and refused to speak._

 _As he grew up, he became taciturn, withdrawn, and very secretive._ _The servants no longer recognized the little boy he had been, but they noticed that father and son avoided each other carefully._ _As if to add to Kazuya's intense hatred, Heihachi decided one day to adopt a young boy whom he had met on one of his trips to China._ _He had noticed Lee Chaolan because of his silvery white hair, which was quite surprising for a young boy, but moreover when he had fought two boys older than him._ _Impressed by his ardor and drive to win, Heihachi brought him back with him._

 _He introduced him to the servants—who were stunned by this unexpected news—and to Kazuya, who did not react but clenched his fists imperceptibly._ _His goal became clear in the weeks that followed: creating a rivalry between the two boys._ _Heihachi covered Lee with gifts and attention and blatantly ignored Kazuya._

 _When he was eighteen, Kazuya left the house one winter morning, and he disappeared for eight long years._ _Heihachi did not worry over his disappearance._ _He knew that, sooner or later, they would meet again, and only one of them would live._

 _My little Xiaoyu, you know the rest: in 1985, Heihachi organized the first Tekken tournament, and was defeated by Kazuya._ _The latter then threw his father into the same ravine where he had nearly died twenty years ago, thus finalizing the vengeance of which he had dreamed for so long._

 _My dear granddaughter, you now know everything about the Mishima family. However, I think you should also look for the Kazama clan, because their destinies are, after all, closely linked._

 _Be very careful..._

 _._

 _._

=l=l=-.-ooo0o0o0ooo-.-=l=l=

 _._

 _._

Xiaoyu quietly closed the book and turned to her friend.

The same astonishment dwelt in both their eyes, and they remained silent for long minutes, digesting what they had just read. As she was going to put away the notebook, a picture escaped, which Hwoarang quickly caught. It depicted a couple during their wedding, and Xiaoyu recognized with amazement a happy and smiling Heihachi with his young bride. Kazumi was really beautiful; she had a delicate face and very fine features, and her eyes were beaming with happiness. The couple looked very much in love.

Xiaoyu found in this beautiful face some of Kazuya's features, and she shook her head at the gigantic mess that Heihachi had caused.

When she checked her grandfather's diary, she found that there was one last photo. It featured a charming little garden, well maintained, which, besides vegetable plants, had a large willow tree, on the branches of which hung a child's swing.

This place was unknown to her, and she did not understand why he had given her such a picture.

"It was Kazumi who was possessed by Devil," she whispered to her friend, "and the box that this healer gave her was Pandora's Box, the one Zafina had told me about."

"The box that connects Earth and Hell?"

"Yes, and that explains why only Kazuya and Jin are affected by this curse."

"You mean that, by possessing Kazumi during her pregnancy, this demon modified Kazuya's DNA?"

"I think so."

"It must have taken possession of him when Kazumi died."

"You think?" Xiaoyu asked dubiously.

"Yes, your grandfather explained that his behavior had changed when he returned to the mansion. His father trying to kill him was bad enough, but it was the demonic possession that ended up transforming him."

"Okay, but in this case, why did Kazumi not change when she was possessed? And why did she die?"

Hwoarang remained silent for a few minutes, thinking intensely.

"This is only a supposition," he began, "but if I were a demon, I would rather take possession of a young host. I think Devil's target was Kazuya from the start, and that's why he offered this deal to Kazumi."

"It seems a bit far-fetched. I'll ask Zafina. She knows a thing or two about demonology."

"Do you have her number?" Hwoarang asked in an unnaturally impassive voice.

"No, but Lars must have a way to contact her," she replied, staring at him attentively. "Why do you ask?"

"Nothing, nothing..."

"Did she accidentally catch your eye?"

He blushed abruptly and she burst out laughing.

"Stop it!" he cursed.

"I'll stop," she chuckled, raising her hands. "But about my grandfather," she said, serious again, "I wonder how he could get all that information. Surely Jinpachi didn't tell him all that?"

"Probably not," Hwoarang replied. "And there's no way Heihachi or Kazuya would ever confide in him."

"Yeah… He must have known other people who were close to the Mishima. Perhaps the servants?"

"No, there are many things they couldn't have known. But this Junichi will no doubt help us."

"Is he Asuka's father?"

"Yes, she confirmed it to me on the phone."

"So he's Jun Kazama's brother. Perhaps she herself knew things and revealed them to him before she disappeared?"

"Without a doubt. You told me your grandfather knew her, didn't you?"

"Exactly. That must be why he sent us to see Junichi. I just hope he'll be willing to help us."

"We'll soon find out. We'll be there in ten minutes..."

They picked up their belongings, grabbed their backpacks and waited for the train to stop to get out carefully, scanning the crowd in search of soldiers.

Asuka, who was waiting for them on the platform, welcomed them warmly and took Xiaoyu into her arms.

"What did you do to your hair?" she gasped, wide-eyed at the new Hwoarang.

"Oh, don't get me started on that!" he grumbled. "I must be one of the only naturally red-haired Koreans, and I have to hide it!"

"We'll explain later," Xiaoyu said. "We shouldn't linger..."

Asuka nodded and motioned them to follow her, and they headed to the taxi station. They rushed into the first vehicle they saw, Asuka in the passenger seat and the others behind. She pointed out her address to the driver, who quickly started off. The journey was silent, except for a few questions from the driver, and they quickly arrived in front of the young woman's house.

Hwoarang paid the driver and they followed Asuka inside the house. They took off their shoes and were welcomed by her parents.

"Welcome," her father greeted them. "I'm Junichi Kazama, and this is my wife, Saeko."

His wife was small and thin, with a smiling and open face. He was tall and well-built, and Xiaoyu saw with a twinge in his heart that Jin had the same eyes as his uncle.

They bowed deeply, apologizing for disturbing them and thanking them for their hospitality.

"It's nothing, it's a pleasure to get to know Asuka's friends," Junichi said. "Given her temper, I was growing desperate over her lack of social life."

"Dad!" Asuka cried while her mother giggled discreetly.

"Come on now, isn't it true? You've built yourself quite a reputation in Osaka!"

The young woman, mortified and red with shame and anger, shot daggers at Hwoarang, who was trying hard not to burst out laughing.

"My friends have not travelled all the way through Japan to listen to you mock me!" she said with annoyance.

"True, forgive me. Let's go in the courtyard. You will be more comfortable."

"Um, Kazama-san, I do not want to be rude, but I think Xiaoyu is not feeling well," the young man said.

Everyone turned to her and saw her pale and drawn complexion and bloodshot eyes.

"He's right. You need a good bath and some rest," Saeko declared. "We will talk later. Come with me, I'll take you to the bathroom."

Without protesting, Xiaoyu followed her to the bathroom, accepted the towel she handed to her, and took off her clothes. She soaped and scrubbed herself energetically, getting rid of the sweat, fatigue, and sadness that seemed to form a second skin.

Once clean, she slipped into the bathtub filled with hot water and closed her eyes, letting out a long sigh to relax. She remained in the water for what seemed to be an eternity, until someone softly knocked at the door.

"Xiaoyu?" Asuka's voice said. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm done," she said, coming out of the bathtub and wrapping herself in the towel.

"I brought you a change of clothes. I hope they will fit you," her friend said, handing her a few things. "I'll let you change, and I'll take you to the guest room."

"And Hwoarang, what is he doing?"

"He's talking with my father. He said he wasn't tired."

It was only when she was lying in a comfortable bed and when the curtains were pulled that Xiaoyu allowed herself to silently cry herself to sleep.

 _._

 _._

=l=l=-.-ooo0o0o0ooo-.-=l=l=

 _._

 _._

She was awakened a few hours later by Asuka's mother.

"Xiaoyu-chan, dinner is ready."

"I'm coming right up," she said, rising.

She rubbed her eyes to finish waking up and stretched. The shower and the nap had worked wonders, and she felt her stomach gurgle. She followed Saeko to the drawing room, where a beautiful table had been set. Everyone was waiting for her and greeted her. She knelt beside Asuka and attacked the food prepared by her mother.

Dinner was very relaxed. Asuka and her father were bickering under Saeko's amused eyes, while Hwoarang stuffed himself as discreetly as possible. Xiaoyu felt at ease in the middle of this family, and the warmth and kindness of her guests made her forget the sadness that tightened her heart.

When they were finished eating, Junichi spoke.

"While you were sleeping, Xiaoyu-kun, your friend explained to me the reason for your visit. I happen to know your grandfather, by name only. It was my grandmother and my great aunt who knew him and who will probably be more fit to answer your questions than I."

"Can we see them?"

"Yes. However, I must warn you that they have always lived with us; they are very old, and I'm asking you not to fatigue them too much."

"Of course, I understand perfectly."

"Follow me, then," he said, rising.

They all followed him as he led them through the corridor to a closed room. He slid the wooden panels and motioned them to enter. Xiaoyu bowed deeply as she noticed that two very old women were living in the room. They were both lying on a futon but had their backs resting against a headboard, so that they faced them as everyone sat around them. They were so alike that Xiaoyu wondered if they were not twins.

"Grandmother, great aunt," Junichi began softly, "we have guests who would like to meet you. Here are Ling Xiaoyu and Hwoarang, who are Asuka's friends."

The two friends bowed before their elders, who looked at them benevolently.

"And here is my grandmother, Saori, and her sister, Kaori," he added, pointing to each of them. "They are twins, as you may have noticed."

The two elders chuckled. They were remarkably similar. From their wrinkled faces to their pristine white hair pulled back into a bun, the only thing that differentiated them was the mole that Junichi's great-aunt had on her right cheek.

"We are honored to meet you," Xiaoyu said in a respectful voice. "My grandfather, Wang Jinrei, advised us to come and find you, because we need your help."

"We knew your grandfather well," Saori said. "We have not met again for many years due to distance and passing time. How can we help you?"

"We're friends of your great-grandson, Jin," Xiaoyu replied, ignoring Hwoarang's discreet snort. "He disappeared, and we are looking for him."

"We have never had the opportunity to meet Jin," Kaori replied sadly. "We do not know anything about him."

"Then can you tell us about your clan? Master Wang seemed to think that this could shed light on many things."

"What do you want to know?"

"Everything that you can remember."

Saori sighed deeply and turned to her du formulaire

"Do you want to tell them?"

"With pleasure. You will take over if I fall asleep."

"I will."

"Young people, I see that you are young and full of good will. However, you do not seem to know what you are looking for and where to find it. Anyway, make yourself comfortable, because my narrative may be quite long..."

.

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* * *

 **TBC**... The Mishimas' story is obviously different from the one in Tekken 7, for I wrote it before the game came out. See you soon for the next chapter! And feel free to leave a review to tell me what you thought of that chapter, I love reading your reactions!


	4. DAYS OF A LOST PAST

_Huge thanks to my wonderful beta **TheoreticallyEva** for being so helpful in spite of her hectic schedule. Go check her work, guys, it really is worth it!_

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* * *

 _Chapter IV_

 **DAYS OF A LOST PAST**

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"First of all," Kaori began, "you must know that we are not from Osaka. Our clan used to live on the island of Kyushu, in Isahaya, in the mountains. My sister and I were born there in 1910, but we had to leave our land at the end of the war, after the atomic bomb hit Nagasaki."

Her face closed briefly, as if the memories were playing in her mind, then she recovered herself.

"Our family has been known and respected for centuries. We were a people of protectors, for the women of our family had the peculiarity of possessing tremendous psychic powers, which developed when they turned fifteen. The origin of this gift dates back to very ancient times, but my grandmother often told me that it was a gift from the gods to fight evil."

"Evil?" Asuka repeated dubiously. "Like… ghosts or demons?"

"Exactly."

"But they don't exist," she continued. "And besides, you and great-grandmother never had any powers!"

"That is where you are wrong, my child. We were born with these powers, but we chose not to use them afterwards."

"What! But why?"

"Asuka!" her father interrupted in a disapproving voice.

"Forgive me," she apologized in a more measured voice. "But why did not you tell us? Why not use them?"

Kaori closed her eyes and her sister took over.

"You must understand, Asuka, that these powers, even if they seem very attractive to you, are not without their burdens. There is a reason why our clan lived apart—it's because our powers attracted demons, as honey attracts flies."

"Oh…"

"The people in the surrounding towns respected us, but they also feared us because of it, and that is why we were secluded. In spite of that, we lived peacefully, in harmony with nature. Our purity, if I may call it that, had long attracted the Mokujin, wooden humanoid beings known to fight evil."

"So… you were exorcists, like in the movies?" Hwoarang asked.

"More or less. Evil tends to manifest itself in various forms. It can be a vengeful spirit, a demonic entity that has taken possession of a person, or even simple witchcraft. We helped the people who asked for it by first looking for the cause of the phenomenon and then trying to get in touch with the afterlife. Sometimes we had to practice exorcisms, but it was extremely rare and it did not end without heavy mental and physical strain."

"Your powers allowed you to do all this?"

"Yes, but, most importantly, they protected us from evil. Our reputation has been established through struggles over the centuries, and many of the demons we sent back to Hell sought revenge on us through inferior demons or manipulating human beings."

"But then, how come I don't have any of these powers?" Asuka asked.

There was an uncomfortable silence, while her parents exchanged an embarrassed look with the two grandmothers.

"All the women of the Kazama clan are born with great powers," her father finally replied. "However, we decided to bridle yours before you were fifteen."

Outraged, she opened her mouth to protest violently, but her father raised his hand, cutting her off.

"I know you're upset, you have lots of questions, and we will be happy to answer them, but let us finish our story. Do not worry, you will soon understand what all this is about."

Asuka nodded, still a little red with anger.

"A long time ago," said Kaori, "we had a legendary sword, forged by powerful sorcerers, and the only real weapon capable of fighting evil. It was evil, too—terribly dangerous, bewitched to feed on the souls it was taking. Only the women of the clan could use it because, besides the protection that flowed in their veins, their powers protected them against the obscure power of the sword. Many brigands tried to steal it, only to be driven mad because of its harmful influence."

"But why was your sword evil when you were a clan of protectors?" Hwoarang asked with confusion.

"The creation of this sword goes back to immemorial times. At that time, evil was omnipresent and, unfortunately, when fighting an enemy, one is tempted to use the same weapons as him, or even worse. From then on, we must be careful not to become like the one we fight. And this is where our powers and protection in our blood come from; they have been offered to us so that we do not succumb to the diabolical power of this sword."

"He who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby become a monster," Junichi said. "And if thou gazeth long into an abyss, the abyss will also gazeth into thee."

Everyone turned to him.

"This quote comes from a Western philosopher, but it perfectly sums up the paradox to which our clan was confronted."

"And that sword, do you still have it?"

"No, it was stolen by a young woman of our clan many centuries ago," replied Saori.

"Stolen? But why?"

"If I remember what our grandmother told us, this young woman was born without powers. This was very rare, but when that happened, these girls were considered deficient."

"Deficient? But that's disgusting!" Asuka exclaimed.

"It is true that these poor children had nothing to do with it, and we are not proud that this kind of discrimination could have taken place within our clan, even though our very existence was destined to preserve peace and harmony. This young girl was therefore relegated to unpleasant tasks, such as cooking or household chores, and this difference in treatment made her bitter. She saw other girls being trained to learn their powers, while she was doomed to be the pariah of the clan. Anyway, one evening she slipped a preparation of sedative plants into the meal she was preparing tirelessly for everyone and patiently waited for the effects to be felt. Then she drugged the horses, except one, with which she fled, having stolen the sword. When they woke up, my ancestors noticed her disappearance and that of the sword, but it was too late to catch it."

"Why take the sword?" Asuka asked. "What could she do with it, since she had no powers to use it?"

"I guess she sold it to survive. Despite its dangerousness, it was very coveted and many were willing to spend fortunes to possess it. My ancestors never managed to find it."

"And what about the girl?" Hwoarang asked.

"No idea. She vanished, and no one ever saw her again. They had to accept that the loss of this precious weapon was their fault and that they now had to ensure the welfare of all the members of the clan without exception."

"It's a pity that the sword had to disappear for them to start questioning themselves," Asuka remarked.

"Yes, if this young woman had been treated kindly, none of this would have happened. The loss of the sword had struck them, but it had also helped to strengthen their ties and make them more united. They later had to learn to defend themselves differently. They created their own martial art, which was passed down from generation to generation."

"Kazama-style self-defense..."

"Absolutely, all the Kazamas master this style of combat."

"So your family and the other Kazamas had the same training?" asked Xiaoyu.

There was again an embarrassed silence and she felt as if she had asked a taboo question.

"There are no other Kazamas," Junichi answered softly.

"But... Where's the rest of your clan?" the young woman asked, looking at Saori without understanding.

The latter closed her eyes painfully and gave a long sigh. Her face and that of her sister were frozen into an expression of profound sadness.

"We are the last survivors," she finally answered in a broken voice. "You see, the Mokujins felt or suspected that something terrible was going to happen, because they fled the day before the atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki during the night. Isahaya is located just six miles from Nagasaki, and when the bomb exploded, it decimated our entire clan. My sister, my son, Daisuke, and I miraculously escaped, for we had left a few days earlier on an initiation journey. Fortunately, we were in the Kansai area, so we did not suffer from radiation. We nevertheless learned the news on the radio and went back as soon as possible to try to find survivors. Unfortunately, only ashes remained. All had perished. We had nothing, no family, no money, no place to go. We wandered for weeks, always with the same spectacle of desolation and despair wherever we went. We subsequently found refuge in Osaka, where we had to start from scratch."

"How did you make it?" Hwoarang whispered.

"Fortunately, we received help from the government and have been able to live in this house. My sister Kaori was very gifted with plants, so she made remedies. I used to teach martial arts while Daisuke worked in the fields for a neighbor while attending school. This was the most difficult period of our lives. We were in an unknown town, surrounded by strangers. The three of us were dependent on each other to survive. I listened to the radio all the time, hoping to find that one of the members of our family was miraculously alive, but I gave up after a few months. We did not really have time to mourn, because the need to survive was the strongest. And then, years passed, each one bringing its share of joy, and soon, our old life appeared to us like the days of a lost past..."

Her voice broke, and she hung her head to hide the tears rolling down her cheeks as her sister took her hand in a comforting gesture, her face wrinkled with grief.

Asuka was pale, and her eyes shone with tears. Her father and mother were also moved. Xiaoyu and Hwoarang exchanged a pained look and remained silent, leaving the old woman to wipe away her tears and resume her normal countenance.

"Daisuke grew up and became a serious and responsible young man. When I became too old to continue teaching martial arts, he took over without complaining. He had secretly set aside the money he had earned from work he did here and there. Thanks to this nest egg, he bought the house we had been renting, and undertook all the work alone to restore it. My sister continued her activities as an herbalist, and I was in charge of the maintenance of the house."

She stopped and asked Junichi to take over.

"My father met my mother one day when he had gone to bring one of my great-aunt's remedies to a neighbor. It was his daughter, Maki, who welcomed him, and they fancied each other. They courted for several months and ended up getting married after two years. My sister and I were born a few years later, in 1964."

"You were twins too?" Xiaoyu exclaimed.

"Fraternal twins, indeed. My mother got pregnant again two years after we were born, but her frail constitution made her miscarry, and she could not have other children. Despite this, our parents loved us and were happy. We all lived together in the family home, where we spent happy days."

He smiled at the two old women who were staring at him.

"Jun and I were very close. We had no secrets for each other, and we were like two sides of the same coin. As a child, she was sweet and carefree, and she already had a passion for nature and animals. She said she wanted to become a veterinarian. She also hated injustice, just like you, Asuka," he added, smiling at his daughter.

The latter blushed a little but still looked proud of the comparison with her late aunt.

"She did not resolve conflicts as directly as you do," he continued as everyone laughed. "But she had such a charisma that one could not help listening to her. She did not realize it, of course..."

He sighed deeply.

"When she was fifteen, she received her inheritance, and her powers were revealed," he said. "And from that moment, everything changed between us because, being a man, I had not received this gift. The emergence of her powers removed her from me, in addition to the fact that we were growing up and following our own paths. She spent a lot of time with our ancestors, who taught her how to use and control her powers. When she was eighteen, at the end of high school, she left home and moved to Tokyo, after joining the WWWF, an organization for animal protection. Sometimes, she would go abroad for weeks, but she never lost contact with us. She often came to see us, but she was reserved, even secretive..."

He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.

"Shortly before her participation in the second Tekken tournament, she quickly came to see me. At that time, I worked as an assistant to the Osaka police station, in addition to my studies. She came one night, very late, without warning. I had stayed late to finish writing an urgent report and I did not expect her. She looked very agitated and asked if I had access to the national database that lists all the citizens. I was surprised by her request and wanted to know why. She explained that she was conducting an investigation with an Interpol agent into a powerful businessman who was suspected of practicing illegal genetic manipulation on protected animal species."

"Kazuya Mishima," Hwoarang whispered.

"Yes," Junichi confirmed. "I had already heard of him when he had succeeded his father, who had mysteriously disappeared, as the head of the Mishima Zaibatsu, which was already one of the most powerful companies of the country at the time. There were many rumors about him, and not very good ones, if I may add. I did not understand why Jun was chosen to conduct this investigation, but I was quite willing to help her. At that time, Japan was not associated with Interpol, which is why they did not have access to our database."

"But if you were an assistant, how come you had access to it?" Asuka asked.

"I was allowed to use it after signing a confidentiality clause, and my superiors trusted me. They knew my father and my family, and knew we were honest people. So I did the research with her. We had access only to his civil status and details about his travels whenever he left Japan. In addition to his many international trips, what caught Jun's attention was the half a dozen trips he had made to Australia over a three-month period. She told me that the WWWC suspected him of experimenting on kangaroos."

"Kangaroos? Like those in the tournament?" Xiaoyu exclaimed.

"I guess so... Anyway, I could not find anything more about him that could have helped her, so I printed the little information found and she left. That was the last time I ever saw her," he added with a deep sigh. "We followed her fights on the TV, but after she was eliminated, and even after the tournament was over, she did not reappear, and we eventually grew worried. We phoned the Mishima Zaibatsu service in charge of the tournament's communication, but they could not help us. Finally, after two months, we found a message from Jun in our mailbox. A simple paper folded in half, without envelope, with no indication of the address from which it came. She had written: _**Do not try to find me. I am fine. I love you.**_ "

"That's when she had to hide on the island of Yakushima," Asuka said. "But why hide? If I remember correctly, Kazuya was declared dead at the end of the tournament. She could not fear anything from him."

"Maybe she found very compromising things about the Mishimas," her mother assumed, "and Heihachi may very well have wanted to silence her."

"Okay, but if so, why was her partner Lei Wulong not worried, too?" Xiaoyu asked.

"Wulong is Chinese, and he's an Interpol agent," Hwoarang said. "His disappearance during an investigation into the Mishimas would have been more than suspicious."

"Aunt Jun was part of the WWWC," Asuka protested. "It would have been just as suspicious to get rid of her..."

"Perhaps she realized that she was pregnant," Hwoarang assumed. "And in addition to what she had discovered about the Mishimas, she preferred to disappear to protect her child."

"I am sure that is how it happened," Junichi agreed. "For fifteen long years, we had no news. And then, one day, we received a call from Heihachi Mishima in person."

"What?"

"He told us that Jun had died in a landslide and that her son had come to him on her advice. He suggested arranging and settling her funeral and paid our plane tickets to Yakushima. We all left a few days after his call to meet Jin and Heihachi. We had already heard of him, and seeing him in the flesh, I think, reinforced the opinion we had of him. He was an imposing and impressive man, speaking loudly and confidently, unaccustomed to being contradicted. He was, however, irreproachably courteous at the ceremony."

"What about Jin?" Xiaoyu asked without being able to stop herself.

"Jin was... silent. Very reserved, very polite, but terribly introverted. From what I understood, Jun did not tell him about us and did not mention his father until shortly before her death. I thought he would have been, say, more enthusiastic about meeting his family, but that was not the case. After the funeral, Heihachi spoke with my parents for a long time. My mother was in tears, and my father was livid when the interview ended. They told me they had solicited custody of Jin, who was only fifteen at the time. Unfortunately, Jun had written a will in which she surrendered her parental authority to Heihachi in the event of her death and entrusted it to Jin before she died. The will had been authenticated, and Jin himself had refused my parents' proposal."

"But why?" Xiaoyu asked, stunned.

"I do not know, because we did not have the opportunity to talk to him. He left with Heihachi at the end of the funeral without explanation. Jun's death had already deeply affected my parents, and the fact that Jin rejected them so coldly was devastating for them. My mother died of sorrow a few months later, and my father committed suicide just a few days later. I do not blame the boy; he was young, he had just lost the only person he cared for in a horrible way, and he was certainly disoriented and probably also a little manipulated by Heihachi. But I will never forgive Jun for her decisions. Her obstinacy and selfishness are the reason why my parents died..."

Xiaoyu remained silent, deeply shocked by what she had just learned. She could not understand why Jun, who had been close to the Mishimas and had seen what they were capable of, had entrusted her only son to a man like Heihachi Mishima. Did she know what would happen to her son, or did she hope that Heihachi would treated him as a grandfather should?

She exchanged a look with Hwoarang, who shared her confusion.

"That's why we chose to bridle your powers, Asuka," her father continued, staring at her gravely.

"You were only eleven years old when my sister died, and although this decision may seem unacceptable and selfish, I did not want my only daughter to suffer a destiny as terrible as her aunt's..."

She looked at him without being able to answer, her eyes shining brightly.

"It's late," Asuka's mother said, rising. "You should go to bed. We will continue tomorrow."

They all agreed and bowed to the two grandmothers before leaving their room. Asuka led a weak-kneed Xiaoyu to her room, while Hwoarang headed for the guest room. The young woman helped her friend unroll a futon and prepare it for the night.

"Would you rather sleep alone?" Asuka asked in an uncertain voice.

"No, on the contrary," Xiaoyu reassured her with a smile. "If I'm alone, I won't be able to sleep."

"Xiaoyu, I... I'm really sorry about your grandfather..."

"Don't be," her friend sighed, containing her tears. "Are you okay? With what your father told us?"

"I could never have imagined learning so much in the space of an hour," she replied. "And even though I was angry at first, I fully understand why they did that. They just wanted to protect me..."

She handed her a pair of pajamas, and Xiaoyu thanked her before turning to change.

"So, what are your plans with Hwoarang?" queried Asuka.

"What do you mean?"

"Your grandfather sent you here for information, but then what?"

"I don't know... Nothing has been clear these last few days. I feel like we are moving blindly, thanks to fuzzy clues that he left us."

"Did he say anything else, besides that you should come here?"

"No, nothing. I don't know what he had in mind, but..."

She paused, her face frozen in deep reflection, then she went to her bag and took out the notebook.

"He left this," she said, handing the picture of the garden to Asuka. "But I have no idea where it is..."

"It's Aunt Jun's garden," her friend answered in a choked voice.

"What?"

"When I went with my family to her funeral, there was nothing left of their house. But the garden below was almost intact. And I recognize this great willow and this swing perfectly!"

"Are you sure?" Xiaoyu pressed.

"Absolutely. I feel like your grandfather wants you to go to Yakushima."

Xiaoyu looked at the photo, her heart clenching in her chest. What the hell were they supposed to do on this island? Did he really think Jin was there?

"You know where their old house was?"

"Yes, it was really well hidden. It took us two hours of walking through the forest to get there."

Xiaoyu sighed and slipped under the blanket of her bed.

"Well, at least that's settled. We shall see tomorrow if there is anything more your ancestors can tell us. But in the meantime, a good night's sleep will not hurt..."

 _._

=l=l=-.-ooo0o0o0ooo-.-=l=l=

.

Light knocks on the door made Xiaoyu jump.

She straightened up and glanced at the alarm clock, which indicated that it was 4:00am. Asuka awoke with a start, too, when the knocks came a second time. She got out of bed with a string of swear words and went to open the door while her friend lit the bedside lamp. Hwoarang stood before them, looking overexcited.

"Do you know what time it is?" Asuka cursed in a low voice not to wake her parents.

"Never mind, let me in!"

He entered the room and dropped onto Xiaoyu's futon. She waved the picture she had shown to Asuka earlier.

"Asuka knows this place!" she told him.

"Seriously?"

"Yes, it's Jun's garden!"

"But where? In Yakushima?"

"Yes! We absolutely must go!"

"What, now? At this hour? And how do we do that? Do we teleport?"

"Don't be silly!"

"He's right, it's not next door," Asuka said as she sat down on her bed and yawned. "You have to take the train to Kagoshima, then the plane. And, as I told Xiaoyu, you need to walk two hours through the forest before you get to the house."

"I suppose it's pretty well hidden, and you're the only one who knows how to get there?" the young man asked.

"Indeed."

"Your parents would never want you to come with us," Xiaoyu sighed. "It's way too dangerous with Kazuya's henchmen on our heels..."

"Listen, I'm coming with you," the young woman interrupted. "I've thought about it all night, and I want to help you."

"No, Asuka, you don't have to," her friend began.

"I know, Xiaoyu, but you need my help. Besides, if we are efficient, I can be back in the evening."

"Really?"

"I checked the train schedule," she explained as she grabbed her smartphone, "and we can even leave right away. The first train is 6:00am, in two hours. We have time to pack quickly and leave." Then, seeing that her friend hesitated, she went added, "My parents trust me, Xiaoyu. They know that I am not reckless. Don't worry."

"Good, it's settled then," Hwoarang declared with a delighted smile. "I'll pack my bag and join you."

"Wait, why did you come to wake us? Did you have something to tell us?"

"Oh, right!" he exclaimed excitedly. "I couldn't sleep," he began, rising at once to pace.

"And you decided that you'd feel less lonely if we didn't sleep, either?" Asuka said wryly.

"No time for your sarcasms," he said with a casual wave of his hand. "What your relatives told us about this stolen sword has been bothering me for hours!"

"So?"

"So," he said, glancing at her, "I think I know where it is!"

"What?" Xiaoyu exclaimed. "But how?"

"I've just spent two hours on the phone with Ryo. He knows an impressive number of informants, but only one of them has been able to help me. The guy is as old as Methuselah and half nuts. He buttonholed me for ages, but he's an ancient history expert! Turns out that the girl from the Kazama clan, after stealing the sword and fleeing, sold it to a band of brigands for next to nothing. These same brigands were later killed by a samurai clan that was protecting the place where they were. And this territory belonged to the daimyo Oda Nobunaga."

"Oda Nobunaga?" Asuka repeated. "But he was born in 1534! I had to do a paper about him in my ancient history class, so I know about him."

"Well, your knowledge is likely to be useful. The sword then ended up in the hands of this samurai clan, and one of these samurai in particular."

He paused, a grin ready to spread across his lips.

"Yeah, so?" Asuka grew impatient.

"He is still alive."

"Since the sixteenth century? Are you kidding?"

"Not at all, it keeps him alive until he is defeated. And the best part," he continued, smiling frankly, "is that we all know him... The sword has been under our eyes from the beginning!"

The two young women looked at him as if he had just grown a second head.

"Uh... Are you sure of that?"

"I'm certain!"

"But who is it? Because I don't have the slightest idea—" Asuka began.

"If we all know him, he's must have been in the Tekken tournaments!" Xiaoyu interrupted.

"Correct. Don't you know who that'd be?"

Xiaoyu frowned as she rummaged through her memory, Asuka doing the same, before her eyes widened.

"Yoshimitsu?!"

.

.

* * *

 **I'd love to know your thoughts about this chapter, so feel free to tell me everything!**


	5. THE LONELY ISLAND

Thank you guys so much for your amazing reviews. Here is chapter five, I hope you enjoy it!

.

* * *

 _Chapter V_

 **THE LONELY ISLAND**

* * *

.

.

"What the hell is she doing?" Hwoarang cursed as he paced relentlessly.

"She must have forgotten something," Xiaoyu replied, rubbing her hands to warm herself.

They were standing in front of Asuka's house and were waiting for her in the dark alley. It was still late, and the cold of night began gradually to numb them. There was not a noise around them, and far from reassuring them, it only made them even more apprehensive.

Hwoarang looked at his watch for what seemed to be the hundredth time and sighed impatiently, his leg twitching nervously. Xiaoyu gave him an annoyed look and suddenly tensed as she listened.

A cat emerged from a trash bin, threw a pile of rubbish down, and fled in a flash. The noise made them jump and the young man swore copiously.

"Damned cat!"

"Hush!"

Asuka eventually appeared five minutes later, a backpack on her shoulders. Hwoarang was about to tell her off, but he froze as she approached. Despite the darkness, her face was dangerously pale and she was struggling to keep her eyes open. Her staggering gait finally alerted her two friends who took her by the arms to keep her up before she collapsed.

"What the hell happened?!" exclaimed Hwoarang, his anger vanished.

"Nothing... I... I..." she mumbled, her head wagging faintly.

"Hey! Asuka! Stay awake!"

"...too sleepy..."

"Dammit, what are we gonna do?" he cursed as he glanced at Xiaoyu, who seemed just as helpless as he was.

"Asuka! Asuka, look at me!" she snapped, taking her friend's face in her hands. "Look at me! What happened?"

"Light... too much light..."

"What light, Asuka? It's pitch dark!"

"...in their hands... could not... too hot..."

"Too hot? What the bloody hell happened to you?!" Hwoarang exploded, on the verge of flying into the house.

"Shut up!" Xiaoyu exclaimed. "I'm trying to understand!"

"Light... in... hands..."

"Light in hands?"

"Humm..."

Her head fell on her chest and her body sagged. Hwoarang rushed to help Xiaoyu who was staggering under the weight of their friend and carefully lay her to the ground. She seemed deeply asleep and when the young woman put her hand over her forehead, she was shocked that it was so hot.

"What do we do now?" she whispered, looking at Hwoarang.

"I don't know," he sighed, pacing furiously, a hand clenched in his hair. "We can't leave her here, we don't even know what happened to her... But we can't take her with us either... And we can't delay our journey... Fuck!" he swore, shooting in a can of soda.

"Listen, the journey by train to Kagoshima will take at least four hours and, hopefully, there won't be many people. Let's take her with us."

"I thought we needed to be discreet…"

"I know, but without her, we'll never find the way to Jun's house," she answered, gently feeling the unconscious young woman's forehead. "It looks like she has a fever and she was delirious before falling asleep. We'll buy some drugs and we'll make her drink water during the trip."

"And what if she ever gets worse?"

"Then we'll stop in Kagoshima and we'll take her to a doctor."

"And what if she is contagious? What if we get ill too?"

"We'll see Hwoarang!" Xiaoyu exclaimed impatiently. "Do you have a better idea? Do you want to leave her like that and go without looking back?"

The young man remained silent, his lips pinched and his jaw clenched, glaring at her. He finally sighed deeply and stooped down to take Asuka in his arms and carry her on his back.

"This is the worst idea you've ever had, Xiao, I hope you know that..."

"I know," she whispered as they set out. "And I'm sure it won't be the last..."

They exchanged no word while traveling by taxi to the station. The accumulated fatigue and the worrying condition of Asuka had made them extremely suspicious and vigilant. While Hwoarang was fetching the tickets, Xiaoyu stayed with their friend and scanned every corner of the station, looking for soldiers or suspicious people. A giant television screen diverted her from her thoughts when she heard the name of the town of Akita and she turned her head.

The images showed the mountains overlooking the city and more precisely the place from which a thick smoke escaped. Her throat tightened when she realized it was her grandfather's house and her heart began to beat furiously.

"The explosion resounded around 3:15am and woke the inhabitants of Akita. The fire began to spread but the rain slowed its progress before the firefighters intervened. We are now with Captain Takeda, who was in charge of this operation. Captain, can you explain to us what this operation of the Tekken Forces was about?"

"Absolutely. We were in pursuit of two dangerous members of the resistance who had taken refuge in a house in the Akita mountains. Despite our summons to surrender, they detonated the place and managed to escape."

"Were there civilians in the house? Were people injured?"

"No, there was no one with them."

"Liars!" the young girl grunted between her teeth, shooting daggers at the screen.

"Do we know precisely who these resistance fighters are?"

"We know that, yes. Until now, their identities had not been disclosed because we had underestimated their dangerousness and thought we could apprehend them without too much damage. The events of the previous day showed us that we were wrong and, in order to avoid any further deployment of violence, we encourage our fellow citizens to be vigilant and not hesitate to collaborate with the police to facilitate the arrest of these two suspects."

If this speech had enraged Xiaoyu, it was fear and panic that exploded in her when her and Hwoarang's portraits were projected onto the screen. These were the official portraits that had been taken for the sixth tournament, when her hair was still long and when Hwoarang's was still red. The fact that their new appearances had not been noticed gave her a little hope and she glanced around quickly to realize with relief that no one was watching the screen.

"The suspects are Ling Xiaoyu and Hwoarang. They are known to have regularly participated in the Tekken tournaments since the third edition that took place in Mexico. Ling Xiaoyu is a Chinese woman who obtained Japanese naturalization thanks to Heihachi Mishima, the former leader of the Mishima Zaibatsu, of whom she was the ward. As for Hwoarang, he is Korean and a former soldier who was sued by the Korean court martial for desertion. They are both suspected of belonging to the illegal resistance network formed and led by former Tekken Forces Captain Lars Alexandersson. We also suspect them of being the perpetrators of the chase that took place two days ago on the Shuto expressway in Tokyo and which resulted in the explosion of a vehicle of the Tekken Forces."

"Are they very dangerous?"

"Very, that is why we will deploy important military means to ensure the safety of our fellow citizens. We have also created a special emergency number and invite anyone with information to contact us as soon as possible..."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Hwoarang walking towards them, the tickets in his hand and she designated the screen with a tiny sign of the head. He frowned and turned his head. A flash of panic ran through his eyes and his face lost a few colors, but he recovered quickly.

"Let's go," he whispered, handing her the tickets.

He took Asuka on his back and they went to the platform where their train was waiting for them. He noticed Xiaoyu's upset look and frowned.

"Don't worry," he said in a reassuring voice, "they have lost our trace for the moment, we have a head start on them..."

"It's not that," the young woman replied, shaking her head.

"What's wrong then?"

"They... They are portraying us as terrorists!" she whispered furiously. "They say it was us who blew up my grandfather's house!"

Hwoarang remained silent and sighed deeply.

"It was to be expected..."

"What do you mean?"

"Xiao, the media are under Kazuya's jackboot, he can manipulate them all he wants to deceive public opinion. What better way to find us than to make us look like terrorists to frighten people and ensure their collaboration? I'm not surprised at all, I would've been surprised if he hadn't done just that, knowing him."

"But they'll end up finding us if the whole country is looking for us! We can't run away forever!"

"Don't worry about that. If the situation gets too tense, we'll leave the country."

"What... Just like that?!"

"Kazuya may be almighty in Japan, but I strongly doubt that his influence is the same abroad."

"I'm scared, Hwoarang," she whispered in a trembling voice. "I didn't think we'd get to that. When you called me two days ago and told me that Kazuya was after us, I didn't really believe it. But now... You were right. He really wants to find us."

"Hey, don't be afraid! Don't forget that we have Lars on our side. He has more resources than you think. Besides, not only have they lost our trace but they are far from suspecting that we are going to the other end of the archipelago..."

The young woman nodded and remained silent. They reached the train and climbed on board. Hwoarang carefully installed Asuka on the window seat and hoisted their backpacks on the luggage rack while Xiaoyu covered her with a plaid and sat next to her. The young man sat down in front of his friends and handed the young Chinese a bag of medicines purchased earlier.

"I took some effervescent tablets," he explained, taking out a small bottle of water. "It should be easier that with regular pills."

"Good idea," Xiaoyu smiled. "The train leaves in less than fifteen minutes, could you go and buy some food while I try to give her the drugs?"

He nodded and disappeared in the blink of an eye. She melted a pill in the bottle and cautiously gave the content to the unconscious girl, who swallowed instinctively, but did not wake up.

Hwoarang returned a few minutes later with a bag filled with cakes and drinks.

"Look, I took that too," he said to Xiaoyu, handing her a surgical mask.

"Uh... thank you but I'm not sick..."

"It's for Asuka," he said. "So that the travelers or controllers don't get suspicious seeing her sleeping all the time."

His idea proved to be intelligent. After two hours of travel, when the controllers appeared in their wagon, they did not realize that Asuka was asleep and just checked the tickets and IDs that Xiaoyu handed them. They also did not seem to be looking for two people on the run and she thought that the security measures they had talked about on television had not yet been implemented, which left them a little ahead of Kazuya.

But for how long?

.

===-.-ooo0o0o0ooo-.-===

.

The sun slowly set on the Yakushima beach and Xiaoyu sighed, enjoying of the last rays of sun that made the sea golden. The breeze was sweet and children were playing around her, running in the water like young puppies.

Asuka was still asleep, her head resting on the young woman's thighs. Her temperature had dropped and her face had recovered some colors, which had relieved the two friends.

She heard Hwoarang coming back and she turned her head to face him. He sat by her side and closed his eyes, sighing.

"So?" she asked.

"Well, I feel like I'm on holidays and not on the run."

"Idiot, you know what I mean."

"There's a hostel not far away," he replied without opening his eyes. "Apparently, it will rain tonight, so forget the wilderness camping."

"Too bad," she sighed, "I wish we could sleep here on this beach."

"I'll definitely enjoy a nice cozy bed. I booked a room and I saw that there's a FamilyMart not far away. I don't know about you, but I'm starving!"

Xiaoyu's stomach began to gurgle loudly and she blushed as her friend laughed.

"Looks like I'm not the only one," he joked.

"May I remind you that we've spent the day traveling and we haven't had the opportunity to have a real meal! I'm exhausted and starving! I feel like having some Peking duck and shrimp dumplings!"

"I'd kill for a good bibimbap with lots of gochujang! Because you guys' food sucks!"

"You know I'm not Japanese, right?"

"Aaaaah! If only Asuka wasn't sick, we could've gone to a ryokan, enjoy the rotenburo and dine like kings. I 've been told that they are quite famous in Yakushima."

"Yeah... I hope she'll get better soon. By the way, did you warned the hostel that we had a sick person with us?"

"Yeah, don't worry, I got a separate bed for her."

"For her? What about us?"

"Well, Mrs Matsuyama," he said with a sly smile, "you forget that we are married."

"Tell me we're not going to sleep in the same bed?" she exclaimed with horror.

"I'm afraid so, darling."

"Oh God!"

"Hey! Thousands of women would kill to be in your shoes!"

"Oh yeah?" she grimaced. "Do they even exist?"

"Hey, don't get too carried away! You're not too bad, but you're far from being my type, kid!"

"Oh, and what's your type?"

"Real women."

Indignant, she hit the back of his head as he giggled.

"It's getting late," he remarked, consulting his watch. "We should get going."

She nodded and straightened Asuka so that he could take her on his back. She stood up, dusted her pants, grabbed their backpacks and followed him through the town. Yakushima was a peaceful and quiet island and the seaside air was invigorating. They came across a lot of foreigners who crowded into the little restaurants which strewed the main street. The amazing effluvia made them salivate.

They eventually reached the hostel and Hwoarang checked in, while Xiaoyu was waiting for him in the lobby with Asuka. She was looking forward to taking a hot shower and spending a full night in a good bed. The manager gave them the directions to their room and wished them a pleasant stay. They took the elevator to the third and last floor and entered their room. It was very basic but seemed cosy enough. A double bed and a single bed, a desk and en-suite bathroom. Hwoarang gently laid down Asuka on the single bed, while Xiaoyu inaugurated the bathroom without wasting time.

A quarter of an hour later, clean as a whistle and dressed in jeans and a simple gray sweater, she joined her friend who was lying on the bed and consulting a map of the town provided by the manager.

"There's no way we're sleeping in the same bed," she warned him.

"Xiao," he sighed. "We're not savages, we can behave! At least I hope so, I don't know what your intentions are towards me but..."

"Idiot!"

"May I remind you that we're supposed to be married!"

"Maybe, but we don't have to pretend when we're in private!"

"Aaaaah," he sighed, getting up. "You're way too prudish for your own good, Xiao. I'm gonna take a shower! Try not to peep!" he warned before closing the door.

"Moron," she grumbled, "as if I wanted to..."

She lay down in bed, sighing with ease, and closed her eyes, letting herself be lulled by the sound of the flowing water. A little nap would not hurt...

A groan drew her from her drowsiness and she jumped. Asuka began to move and finally opened her eyes slowly. Relief made Xiaoyu cry out her and she rushed to her friend. She took her hand delicately and scrutinized her carefully.

"Hey," she smiled, "how are you feeling?"

"A little groggy," the girl murmured in a sleepy voice. "I feel like I've been sleeping for hours..."

"You've actually been sleeping all day."

"What? But..." she stammered, looking around in confusion. "Wait, where are we? What day is it? I'm lost..."

"Asuka, what's the last thing you remember?"

"Huuum... You came to my house, Hwoarang and you..."

"Right."

"My family told you about Aunt Jun... You showed me a picture and you told me you had to go to Yakushima..."

"Yes..."

"We decided to leave before my parents woke up and... I went to see my great grandmothers... They were waiting for me and they took my hands and... It's still confusing but I remember a bright light and being very hot at once, as if they were transmitting something to me..."

"So that's where the light came from," Xiaoyu muttered.

"Huh?"

"And after that?"

"Then they told me to leave, but I was incredibly tired, I struggled to leave the house... and then… blackout..."

"You collapsed in the street and you passed out. You were feverish and we decided to take you with us."

"Where are we?"

"In Yakushima. We took the train and the ferry, but you've slept all this time and we..."

"You made me cross half of the country while I was unconscious?"

"Yeah, I know," Xiaoyu replied, blushing with embarrassment, "it wasn't a brilliant idea, Hwoarang told me so. But we couldn't leave you at your parents' home and vanish just like that..."

"I understand, Xiao, I'm glad you did that."

"Can you get up?"

"I'll try," Asuka sighed, straightening painfully.

She pulled down the blanket and stood up cautiously, her legs trembling. Xiaoyu held her firmly as she began to pitch.

"I'm feeling dizzy…"

"Sit down, you got up too fast."

Hwoarang chose that moment to join them, his hair still damp and wearing nothing but a towel around his hips. The two young women's eyes widen and they blushed furiously. He froze when he saw that Asuka was awake. A wide smile lit his face and he rushed to take her in his arms.

"How are you? You scared the shit out of us!"

"I know, Xiao told me, I'm sorry..."

She tried to gently push him away while trying not to look at him.

"What happened to you?"

"I think my ancestors gave me my powers back."

"I knew it!" Xiaoyu smiled.

"Seriously ?!" he exclaimed.

"Yes, I feel completely different. It's like my senses are more acute, like I can now perceive things that I would've never been aware of before. But I don't know what I'm supposed to do with these powers..."

"Haven't your elders told you anything?"

"No. I think it's up to me to learn by myself..."

"Don't worry, Xiao and I are here to help you," he said, hugging her again and making her blush even more.

"Perhaps you should get dressed," Xiaoyu suggested, trying not to laugh at Asuka's embarrassment.

"Oh, but why, Mrs. Matsuyama?" he whispered, slowly drawing closer to her, a suggestive smile on his lips. "Is it the sight of my body that troubles youso?

She felt her face warm up. He was still staring at her with that annoying smug smile and she shot daggers at him so as not to be tempted to look at anything but his eyes.

"Not at all," she replied with annoyance.

"Ah! I'm sorry, Xiao!" he burst into laughter. "I sometimes forget how prude you are!"

"I'm not prude!" the young woman snapped.

Flashbacks of what had happened between Jin and her in the hospital suddenly came back to her mind and she had a strange sensation in her stomach. No, she was definitely not prude…

"Innocent, if you prefer," he retorted, shrugging and pinching her cheek like a doddering grandfather. "Oooh my dear innocent little Xiaoyu!"

Like in a daze, Xiaoyu pushed his hand away, grabbed him by the back of the neck and kissed him furiously.

It was only when she stepped back and noticed his face frozen into a shocked expression and Asuka's, just as struck, that she realized what she had just done. Her anger instantly vanished and an icy cold fist tied her stomach. A heavy silence settled and she had to make a superhuman effort to turn away.

"I'll go buy some food," she breathed out without daring to look at them and she ran away from the room.

She walked down the corridor and ran down the stairs. Her mind could not assimilate what had just happened. Even she did not understand herself. Why? How? Everything was so confused...

 _I kissed him... I kissed him ... I freaking kissed Hwoarang..._

She stopped at the bottom of the steps and sighed deeply as she put her head in her hands, sagging against the wall. She was afraid to face her friends. What would Hwoarang say? Would he be angry? Would he call her names? The guilt invaded her when she realized that she had just jeopardized their friendship.

 _Do I really see him as a friend? Or do I want more?_

No. The answer was clear. Hworang was his friend and kissing him had not been... normal. It was as if she had kissed her brother...

A group of youngsters passed by without paying attention to her and walked up the stairs, laughing loudly. She straightened up and sighed with frustration. She was not acting normal. Some fresh air would help her clear her mind.

She crossed the lobby and froze when she saw her and Hwoarang's faces projected onto the television screen. Her heart swept violently in her chest and she looked around nervously to see with relief that no one had seen her. The room was deserted. Striving to calm down, she moved toward the reception. The manager was on the phone and turning her back on her. Xiaoyu was going to turn around but stopped when she heard the word "police".

She approached without making a noise nor being noticed and listened.

"... I understand but listen, I'm not sure it's them. The man who booked the room was not red-haired, but he was not Japanese, he definitely had an accent! There was a woman with him, and another, younger, but she was sleeping and they said she was sick... Yes... Well, she doesn't quite match the picture they showed on TV, but they looked suspicious... Listen, I run a hostel, I don't want any trouble here! Did you see how they bombed this house in Akita? Imagine if they do the same here! No... Look, I'm not asking you to arrest them... But can you at least check their identities and see if they're the ones you're looking for... Yes... Okay... Yes... They booked for a Mr and Mrs Matsuyama... Very well... In twenty minutes? Thank you very much, you don't know how much it... Yes... No, don't worry, I won't get close to them, I'll stay at the reception... I'm waiting for you... Right away, thank you a thousand times…"

Panic paralyzed Xiaoyu, preventing her from moving or even breathing, for fear of being spotted.

 _They're gonna come... They're gonna find us ... They'll give us to Kazuya... Hurry... Hurry up Xiaoyu!_

She regained her breath which she had held back without realizing it and turned back, trying not to run and look as natural as possible. Fear and adrenaline swarmed under her skin and she thought she was going to explode. She went up the stairs taking them four at a time and rushed into their room, startling Hwoarang and Asuka.

"Xiao, listen..." he began.

"No time! We must go! Quick!" she exclaimed, rushing to throw their belongings into their backpacks.

"What... Why?"

"The manager... I just caught her calling the police! She told them about us!"

"That filthy little..." Hwoarang angrily began.

"Hurry up," she begged them. "They'll be here in less than twenty minutes!"

Asuka, despite her weakness, helped her to pick up their belongings, while the young man jumped into his clothes.

"How did she recognize us?" he cried, putting on his shoes.

"Apparently your accent doesn't not sound Japanese at all!"

"Shit!"

"How do we leave this place without being noticed?" Asuka asked.

"I think I saw an emergency staircase at the end of the corridor," Xiaoyu replied, putting her bag on her shoulder. "We're lucky that it's night..."

"But where are we going?"

"In the forest, I have a tent in my bag," Hwoarang explained. "We're finally camping, Xiao, aren't you happy?"

"Extatic," she snarled. "Make sure you don't forget anything!"

After a quick walk around the room, the young man dragged them outside and locked the door before throwing the key into a trash can.

Xiaoyu headed for the emergency staircase, her companions on her heels. She pushed open the fire door and went down the metal steps, looking frantically around her to see if anybody saw them. Hwoarang, seeing that Asuka was slowed down by her condition, took her on his back to go faster. They reached the bottom of the stairs, which led onto an alley at the back of the hostel without being noticed, and plunged into a maze of dark narrow streets.

"Do you know in which direction the forest is?" Xiaoyu asked.

"I can see where it is. But we need to buy food and something to protect ourselves from the cold. Asuka, do you feel like rushing in a konbini and buying what we need?"

"No problem."

They walked a few minutes, then stopped near an animated street.

"If I'm not wrong, the main street is right there and you have konbini not far."

"At worst, I'll just ask for directions, don't worry," the girl retorted, taking the purse Xiaoyu handed her.

"We're waiting for you here, be careful."

She disappeared at the corner of the street, and the two friends remained alone in the darkness. Only the sounds from the shopping street disturbed the silence and tension between them. Xiaoyu kept her eyes stubbornly fixed on the ground, while Hwoarang's seemed to want to burn her.

"Xiao," he began softly, "we need to talk..."

No, she was absolutely not ready to have this conversation right now...

"I'm not mad at you, if that's what's worrying you, and I'm not going to make fun of you. It's just that I'm a bit confused, to be honest..."

She mentally begged Asuka to return as soon as possible.

"I just want to understand, Xiao, that's it..."

The rain fell on them. Literally. A torrential rain, which soaked them to the bones in less than ten seconds. They took refuge under a porch, shivering with cold, and suddenly far too close to the young woman's taste. Her friend kept staring at her, waiting for an answer from her and she sighed.

"I'm really sorry, Hwoarang. I don't know what came to me, really, it was so impulsive... I... I don't even understand myself..."

He continued to stare at her while she was stirring with discomfort.

"You were so annoying when you called me a prudish kid, so I think I just wanted to prove to you that I'm not as innocent as you think... I'm sorry..."

"Why did you react so badly then? You just wanted to give me a lesson..."

"But we're friends! I shouldn't have done that! I love Jin and I feel like... like..."

Tears came to her eyes and she lowered her head.

"Like you're cheating on him?"

She nodded without saying a word, repressing her sobs.

"Xiao, look at me," he said, gently taking her face in his hands. "What do you want?"

"I don't know what I want... I don't know what I want anymore... Everything used to be so simple: I loved Jin and I wanted to be with him. But now I don't know where I... I feel like the feelings I had for him are... I don't know... I'm so confused..."

"I'll try to help you; do you trust me?"

"Of course!"

He took a step closer and put his lips on hers. She closed her eyes and did not fight, surprised by his gentleness and tenderness.

He pinned her against the wall and pressed himself against her and Xiaoyu suddenly realized why he was so successful with girls. He was clearly gifted and, had she been someone else, no doubt that the situation would have quickly gotten out of control. However, neither his expert lips nor the sensation of his muscular body against hers made her feel anything but deep unease and the impression that none of this was normal at all.

He drew back, breathless and looked into her eyes.

"Did you feel anything?"

She shook her head and he smiled, not offensed at all by her answer. He even seemed relieved.

"And you?" she asked in a small voice, blushing.

"You're like my little sister, Xiao, I told you. I don't have that kind of feelings for you, and you don't either, that's all I wanted to check. You know what I think?"

"What?"

"I think you've been through a lot lately and you've reached your limit. There was this story with Kazama, who you pursued to Egypt, then your suicide attempt, your coma, this forced flight, the loss of your grandfather in traumatic circumstances... All this would drive anyone crazy, you know..."

She nodded without saying a word, letting his words soothe her.

"It's not even been forty-eight hours since your grandfather died, and you've not had time to properly mourn him. You had to postpone this because the situation required it and it's completely normal that you are confused and lost. As for Kazama, you had no understanding with him, right?"

"No…"

"So don't be so hard on yourself, Xiao. When we find, you'll get to wonder if you still love him, but don't get yourself all worked up about that, okay?"

She nodded and her friend kissed her forehead.

"Why are you so kind and understanding?" she asked, huddling up against him.

"Because you're my friend, and because I've been through that too, and I know what it feels like. I just want you to be happy, you know."

"Me too, Hwoarang. But... What happened to you, when you said you went through that too?"

"Well," he began, "when I was…"

"Sorry!" a breathless voice cut him off and made them jump, as Asuka appeared, a transparent umbrella in one hand and a big bag in the other. "That old lady was taking forever to find her purse and… Oh! I... Am I interrupting something?" she asked, blushing as she noticed their closeness.

"No no"! Xiaoyu exclaimed with a laugh. "Don't worry, everything's fine between us, we're still friends."

"Ah, good... Uh... Here, I bought umbrellas from the 100-yen Shop!" she said, offering them two items similar to hers. "I bought things to eat and to make a camp! It's silly, given the trouble we're in, but I can't wait to sleep under the stars! I've never camped!"

"Me neither," Xiaoyu said. "Besides, Hwoarang, was it not you who told me that you were an expert at wild camping?"

"Exactly!" he replied, puffing out his chest and taking each of his friends by the arm. "I'll tell you what happened to me during my military service, when I was abandoned by my group not far from the North Korean border and forced to spend the night alone with nothing to eat!"

"That sound a bit far-fetched," Asuka commented with a dubious grimace.

"Not at all ! Listen: it all started with a kimchi-jjigae that was a little too hot, a detail that may seem zany, but will prove to be important afterwards..."

.  
===-.-ooo0o0o0ooo-.-===

.

"Remind me never to go camping with you again," Xiaoyu complained.

"Right, you've been repeating that twenty times like a broken record!," Hwoarang said.

"And I'll continue to repeat it till I'm fed up!"

"Stop it dammit!"

"Hey! Shut up both of you!" Asuka shouted, turning to face them, shooting daggers at them. "You're driving me nuts and I need to concentrate to find this damn path!"

They obeyed without a word and resumed their painful walk.

Their night in the open air had been compromised when a gale stronger than the others had snatched their tent and carried it away. Awakened in panic in the middle of the night, the three friends had had to find refuge in a lost cabin, with a pierced and badly insulated roof. Hwoarang had managed to light a fire in the dusty hearth after a good half hour and they had dried their soaked clothes on a rope that Asuka had had the good idea to buy. Then they had wrapped themselves in their rugs and tried to find a little rest.

But between the rain that was infiltrating through the openings and the gushes of wind, they had spent a terrible night.

In the morning, they had swallowed some cakes and had followed Asuka through the woods. It was now almost two hours since they had been advancing in the thick forest and they were beginning to tire.

The sun was shining on that beautiful morning, enshrouding the forest with gilded rays. The rain of the day before had made the woods damp, covered with a beautiful green moss, and a deep smell of dirt and verdure filled their nostrils.

"I had forgotten just how beautiful this forest is!" Asuka exclaimed.

"It's just like in the movie Princess Mononoke!" Xiaoyu said.

"By the way, will you finally explain why you kissed Hwoarang? I thought you fancied my cousin, Xiao," she said with an ounce of reproach in her voice.

She blushed and Hwoarang, seeing her discomfort, intervened:

"It was just an experiment, nothing serious!"

"An experiment?"

"What, do you want to try too?" he offered in a charming voice, with a sly glance. "I would not mind, you know..."

She got as red as a beet and resumed her walk, her back stiff. Xiaoyu gave a silent thank you to the young man who just chuckled.

After an hour, after taking the wrong direction and going the opposite way during what seemed like an eternity to Xiaoyu, they eventually emerged into a vast clearing and Asuka uttered an exclamation of triumph by jumping in the air.

"It's here!"

They approached and distinguished the remains of the foundations of the old little house which once stood in the middle of the clearing. The grass seemed not to have grown back to that particular place. A little further down, the abandoned vegetable garden had been invaded by the weeds.

There was a heavy atmosphere in that place, as if the tragedy had left an imprint that was invisible to the naked eye. Xiaoyu felt uncomfortable, as she contemplated where Jin had grown up. She understood why Jun Kazama chose to get lost in this isolated island, where not only would no one find her but where she could raise her son away from the influence of the Mishima Zaibatsu...

She turned to face Asuka, who was staring at the ground, her lips pursed and eyebrows frown, and did not seem comfortable either. She had turned pale and her eyes were filled with anxiety.

"Do you also feel like there's something strange here?"

"I've been feeling it for a while already, but the moment we reached the clearing, the feeling got stronger. I feel like I'm seeing what happened here. I can almost feel the soothing aura of my aunt and Toshin's monstrous one..."

She shivered and her face stiffened.

"I don't know if it was a good idea to regain my powers," she whispered. "I realize that I just stepped into a world completely unknown to me and I don't even know how I can evolve in it... You're lucky you can't feel all that I'm feeling right now, Xiao, because it terrifies me. Toshin was really evil, I have goose bumps..."

"Hey, it's okay," Xiaoyu reassured her, putting an arm around her trembling shoulders. "We'll be quick, I promise."

She took out of her bag the picture that represented the garden.

"The willow is there, maybe there's something on the trunk?"

They approached, followed by Hwoarang, who looked around with suspicion. He had a bad feeling and hoped to be wrong, but he found them to be particularly exposed in this clearing and, in case of a surprise attack, there would be nothing to protect them.

Xiaoyu watched the rudimentary swing, whose worn cords threatened to break at any moment and she imagined a younger Jin swinging for hours. That thought snatched a smile from her and she looked at Asuka, who was circling around the willow, examining the trunk in search of inscriptions.

"There's nothing," she sighed, leaning against the tree.

She screamed as soon as her hand came into contact with the trunk, frightening her two friends, who rushed towards her.

"What's happening? Did you hurt yourself?"

Her eyes and her mouth wide open, she breathed erratically and did not answer at once. After a moment, she slid her hand along the trunk to the ground. She knelt and palpated the grass with both hands, as if searching for something, then she froze.

"There's something buried here," she whispered.

"What? How do you know that?"

"I just received a kind of... message ... psychic or whatever, it's... complicated to explain. We have to dig this spot!"

Hwoarang did not try to understand and moved away to pick up a big branch and began to hit the ground. He did so for a few minutes and then threw the branch to finish digging with his hands. His two friends joined him and soon, their fingers met a metallic surface. Eventually, they dig up a small metal box with chipped paint. Asuka opened it and pulled out a small sheet of yellowed paper, folded in half. She unfolded it and read:

 _In the fragrant port_  
 _The Imperial Thundering Jade Dragon_  
 _Will recover the key_  
 _To find the purity of the blowing wind_

"Oh God! What the hell are these dragon bullshit?" Hwoarang grumbled.

"It sounds like a poem," Asuka said, staring at the sheet as if it was about to reveal its secrets.

"I think it's a kind of riddle," Xiaoyu said, taking the sheet. "What's strange is that it's written in hiragana, without any kanji. Wait, there's something behind it... _Kyujitai_. What does that mean?" she asked Asuka.

"Oh, the kyujitai... Well, to make it simple, we Japanese use the traditional Chinese ideograms, in addition to our own alphabets. There was a reform in 1946 to simplify these ancient and traditional ideograms, which became the shinjitai, in other words the modern form of the kyujitai."

"Oh I see. So these are the same symbols as in Mandarin?"

"Exactly."

"It's like us in Korea," Hwoarang added. "We have the hangul, which is our Korean alphabet, but we also use the hanja, the traditional Chinese ideograms."

"So we have to replace the hiragana with kyujitai or hanja... Does anyone have a pen?"

"Here," Hwoarang replied, handing her a pencil.

Xiaoyu used the box as a support and thought for a few moments before writing, under the watchful eye of her friends.

"Does that make sense to you with Chinese characters?"

"Not really," Asuka grimaced. "And it doesn't make much sense when I read it in Japanese..."

"And if you read it in Mandarin, Xiao?" the young man asked.

"Well, the perfumed port is pronounced _xiānggǎng_ and... it means... Oh damn it! That means Hong Kong!"

She uttered a cry of excitement and continued to scrawl furiously on the sheet, not paying attention to her two friends who looked at her anxiously. Then she burst into a merry laugh.

"The Imperial thundering Jade Dragon is translated as _wǔlóngléi_!"

"What?! Like the cop, Lei Wulong?" Hwoarang exclaimed.

"Yes! That's it ! It's indeed a riddle! Will find the key does not change. On the other hand, the purity of the blowing wind says nothing to me at all..."

"Can I take a look?" Asuka asked.

"Go ahead…"

The girl remained silent for five minutes, then she finally turned to Xiaoyu.

"If I read this part in Japanese," she began in a trembling voice, blowing wind can be translated as _Kazama_. And purity is one of the meanings of the first name _Jun_..."

Her two friends looked at each other without a word, then Hwoarang broke the silence:

 _"In Hong Kong, Lei Wulong will recover the key to find Jun Kazama..."_

"What does that mean?" Xiaoyu asked cautiously, not daring to believe that this enigma implied.

"It means... it means that Aunt Jun is still alive," Asuka whispered in a low voice, looking completely stunned.

A deafening silence followed her words. Only the rustling of the leaves and the song of the birds echoed around them during what seemed like an eternity. Feeling dizzy, Xiaoyu exchanged a glance with Hwoarang who was staring at Asuka with amazement, his mouth open. His widened eyes went from one to the other without him being able to say anything.

A noise, however, drew them out of their stupefaction, a noise that automatically triggered an alarm signal in each of them. It was the sound of a hammer, pulled back, indicating that a weapon was ready to fire.

The three friends turned in the same direction to face an impressive army of soldiers armed to the teeth that encircled them and pointed their weapons at them. A mocking laugh resounded and Anna Williams appeared in front of them, looking amused and delighted. She folded her arms on her chest and leaned her head to one side, an evil smile on her lips.

"Well well well, it seems like the rats have finally left their hole..."

.

.

* * *

FamilyMart: konbini chain (grocery stores open 24/7/365)

Bibimbap: very popular Korean dish, based on rice, sauteed vegetables and meat served in a cast iron bowl

Gochujang: Korean hot pepper paste

Ryokan: hostel providing a typical Japanese experience (wearing a kimono, meals served in the room, swimming in the rotenburo, night on futons...)

Rotenburo: thermal hot springs, of volcanic origin for the most part, and located in the outside

Kimchi-jjigae: spicy Korean soup made with kimchi (fermented and spiced Chinese cabbage), vegetables and/or meat

Hiragana: Japanese syllabary, composed of 46 characters which represent each a syllable and allow to transcribe any word in Japanese


End file.
